Fortnightly Challenge - Jan 10 thru Jan 21 - Topic: Mechanical

[Maxxamillian]

Interesting PP work going on here... although I'm a teeny bit confused as to what the main gist of the thread is. Is the idea to post something that others can work on to create their own idea of the shot, or to improve it? Or is the idea to post for critique, and to critique in return? I guess if I hang around awhile I'll better understand how I can contribute in a positive way...

I'll make a comment on Maxximillian's smoke/bike shot. I think the post processing of the background to enhance the blur to imply speed seems just a bit too artificial, and contrasts in character too much with the style of the smoke on the rear wheel. It's almost as if to me the smoke signifies a bike being launched from a start, or a slower speed, thus the burning rubber and curling smoke would fit. But if the impression is of flying speed, the smoke would just be blasted past as quickly as the streaked background, and we would hardly see it, at least not curling around like that. Somehow, it just doesn't match to my eye, and something seems off at a glance - although the image is very striking. I really like the light and color and the feeling of the shot...

Here's an older shot I did with black/white film and printed on plain old Illford RC variable contrast paper. It was while exploring an old, shuttered log mill on the Willamette River in West Linn, Oregon.

Only folks with a trained eye will ever notice these kind of details...and even then it is hit or miss. I actually thought of you when creating this picture because of a similar observation you made on my pic of the bike and water. You are the only person to make this observation to date with any of my photos (seriously, nicely done!) Some of my other compositions have discrepancies such as the one you just outlined, as well as others (such as f-stop / DOF contradictions). As you can see, I have no problems suspending reality while pursuing a certain look / feel. This particular picture, however, continues it's love / hate relationship with me.

I enjoy the log mill picture--I could spend days at a place like this and have an adventure from start to finish. Nice composition...nicely captured emotive quality to the pic! Thanks for your feedback

 

[Designer Dale]

Interesting PP work going on here... although I'm a teeny bit confused as to what the main gist of the thread is. Is the idea to post something that others can work on to create their own idea of the shot, or to improve it? Or is the idea to post for critique, and to critique in return? I guess if I hang around awhile I'll better understand how I can contribute in a positive way...

I'll make a comment on Maxximillian's smoke/bike shot. I think the post processing of the background to enhance the blur to imply speed seems just a bit too artificial, and contrasts in character too much with the style of the smoke on the rear wheel. It's almost as if to me the smoke signifies a bike being launched from a start, or a slower speed, thus the burning rubber and curling smoke would fit. But if the impression is of flying speed, the smoke would just be blasted past as quickly as the streaked background, and we would hardly see it, at least not curling around like that. Somehow, it just doesn't match to my eye, and something seems off at a glance - although the image is very striking. I really like the light and color and the feeling of the shot...

Here's an older shot I did with black/white film and printed on plain old Illford RC variable contrast paper. It was while exploring an old, shuttered log mill on the Willamette River in West Linn, Oregon.

a) Very nice photo. I really like all of the detail in the nooks and crannies of the field of vision. The light on the spider webs makes it all the more intriguing.

b) I figured this topic would be harder to follow. We usually just shoot on a theme and comment on work, but some of the regulars wanted to add a PhotoShop element to it. Flag your photo with something like PhotoShop Me, and we would download it and do our thing. John found a middle ground by having a shoot and discuss topic on "Mechanical" with the extra caveat that we could release images to others for Post if we wanted.

Dale

 

[Chappers]

You know I've been a fan of your work for some time. I would welcome the feedback should you ever feel so inclined

I'm flattered - I am just trying to capture what I see at a moment in time and honestly admire you and others who have the patience to either work on a photo or set it up and make it work.

I don't have much that is mechanical - this I think I posted before - just a point and shoot shot.

 

[Designer Dale]

Maxx Bike Final Part 1

This is the final comparison for the first part of my work on Maxx's bike. This is how I would have treated this image if I had to rescue it for a magazine or other print assignment. It's photojournalistic. I could do better on the back edge of the back tire, but that will have to wait. There is a Part 2 sitting in my mind, but I'm not sure I can pull it off. I'll try anyway.

Dale

 

[Chappers]

This is the final comparison for the first part of my work on Maxx's bike. This is how I would have treated this image if I had to rescue it for a magazine or other print assignment. It's photojournalistic. I could do better on the back edge of the back tire, but that will have to wait. There is a Part 2 sitting in my mind, but I'm not sure I can pull it off. I'll try anyway.

Dale

That is pretty awesome - respect.

If I had more time these days and not studying oceanography and biodiversity then I'd probably study this.

 

[Maxxamillian]

This is the final comparison for the first part of my work on Maxx's bike. This is how I would have treated this image if I had to rescue it for a magazine or other print assignment. It's photojournalistic. I could do better on the back edge of the back tire, but that will have to wait. There is a Part 2 sitting in my mind, but I'm not sure I can pull it off. I'll try anyway.

Dale

Nicely done sir! I would love to see part II.

 

[BarryJ]

Tractor

One of my first photos with HDR treatment.

 

[deep diver]

Would they be A, C, and M?

Yep. I originally shot this for POTW "narrative" theme. The idea was that the newest (and best) technology - the MAC - is the grandchild of this antique typewriter.

I'm flattered - I am just trying to capture what I see at a moment in time and honestly admire you and others who have the patience to either work on a photo or set it up and make it work.

You have got to be kidding!!!! You'll sit there for 20+ minutes waiting for a butterfly and you call that working in the moment?!?! If you don't think that is patient you'd really hate my "flash and dash" style.

 

[deep diver]

Interesting PP work going on here... although I'm a teeny bit confused as to what the main gist of the thread is. Is the idea to post something that others can work on to create their own idea of the shot, or to improve it?

I think this was the idea that a couple of us had suggested but it did not shape up that way. I'm really interested in seeing what others might do with my stuff. Chappers had challenged me a few weeks ago when he started playing with one of my mineral images. I tend to see what is in the lens and do not explore some of the artistic value in PP. So........ I shot this in Boston two weeks ago. I haven't done any PP. I'd love to see what others do with it.

 

[Chappers]

You have got to be kidding!!!! You'll sit there for 20+ minutes waiting for a butterfly and you call that working in the moment?!?! If you don't think that is patient you'd really hate my "flash and dash" style.

The thing is that each second of those 20+ minutes feels like I've just got home after spending 50 years alone on a desert island and a young Brigitte Bardot look-a-like is waiting for me who then says would I mind waiting whilst she pops out for some chocolate ice cream.

 

[deep diver]

The thing is that each second of those 20+ minutes feels like I've just got home after spending 50 years alone on a desert island and a young Brigitte Bardot look-a-like is waiting for me who then says would I mind waiting whilst she pops out for some chocolate ice cream.

OUCH!!!!!!!

 

[Chappers]

OUCH!!!!!!!

Feel my PAIN !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chappers]

I decided to go with a high contrast effect for this as I saw one of my students photos who often/mostly uses high contrast - so I thought I'd try it.

Firstly I upped the contrast and saturation and then brought up the blues and reds in PS ( I have over emphasised the blues - just because I like them )
using the "Image" menu - "Adjustments" - Hue and Saturation. I then tweaked the contrast and lightness a bit more and repaired a couple of white spots with the healing brush. I then did a blurred edges in iPhoto - which I'm not sure if I like or not but kept it in anyway.

 

[Chappers]

Thanks for looking! Comments, critiques and your own version would be cool.

I'm watching this one - mechanical things like this are not my usual area - but I hope at some point I can do something with your picture or someone else will who has a greater feel for the topic than myself.

 

[JDDavis]

One of my first photos with HDR treatment.

I normally don't like HDR that much but I like this one. Nice job. It's subtle and the color of the tractor against the color of the sky is great. The only thing is the group of people behind the tractor. Maybe somebody could Photoshop them out.

 

[JDDavis]

Well I'm not much of a Photoshopper. I've all but given it up since I went to Aperture. I'd say Aperture handles 99% of all I do. About the only thing I go back to PS for is to stitch panoramas together. Regardless, here are two shots I took today from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal on the Potomac. I didn't think I'd have a mechanical shot but when I was driving home I saw the sign for the #10 lock and stopped.

 

[deep diver]

Lately I've been playing with the idea of "negative" -- both negative space and photographic negatives. This is a leaf spring assembly from the Empire State Express 999 -- the first machine to break the 100 mph barrier.

The positive image was posted in POTW 6 or 7 weeks ago. I had made small adjustments to the contrast and lighting. I got to the reworked image but making some slight adjustments to color levels, inverting colors, darkening the highlights by 15%, and increasing contrast by 50%. I tried making it B&W but I liked the pale blue.

 

[deep diver]

Well I'm not much of a Photoshopper. I've all but given it up since I went to Aperture. I'd say Aperture handles 99% of all I do. About the only thing I go back to PS for is to stitch panoramas together. Regardless, here are two shots I took today from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal on the Potomac. I didn't think I'd have a mechanical shot but when I was driving home I saw the sign for the #10 lock and stopped.

Jeff -- I like the subject here. While the colors certainly reflect the age and decay of the machinery, they also looked "dusty" and pale. I played with them for a bit but did not want to post what I did without your okay.

 

[Chappers]

Here is my attempt -- this was fun!

Feel free to create your own version, I would love to see other interpretations.

Thanks for looking! Comments, critiques and your own version would be cool.

My version involved stretching (distorting) the image - rotating and flipping it and using the Saturation and Hue tool to bring up the reds and blues.

I really would love to see the Maxx effect on this

 

[Designer Dale]

I honestly swore I posted this before I went to the gym. Getting old...
This is a version of the Tacoma Light Rail shot I put into POTD. This was done with a star effect tutorial I found while looking for star filters for my Canon. Funny. The tutorial is good except that they skipped about four steps... I was able to piece together what they intended, but don't want to post the link.

Dale

 

[Chappers]

I honestly swore I posted this before I went to the gym. Getting old...
This is a version of the Tacoma Light Rail shot I put into POTD. This was done with a star effect tutorial I found while looking for star filters for my Canon. Funny. The tutorial is good except that they skipped about four steps... I was able to piece together what they intended, but don't want to post the link.

Dale

What is the black blob on the left hand side? Looks odd.

 

[Abyssgh0st]

I normally don't like HDR that much but I like this one. Nice job. It's subtle and the color of the tractor against the color of the sky is great. The only thing is the group of people behind the tractor. Maybe somebody could Photoshop them out.

I definitely could if he could post the original. I tried doing it with the one he posted (and the one on his Flickr), but they are way too small to make it look decent, I could get all but like 3 people gone but it just didn't look right taking them out due to lack of detail.

 

[Designer Dale]

What is the black blob on the left hand side? Looks odd.

A mistake Part of the process was to paint out unwanted lights with black and I must have been on the wrong layer. I went back and fixed it. Saved by the Edit button again. Always make a copy of your original and turn the Eye Thing off before you start. Then when (not if) you goof you can fix it easily.

Dale

 

[Chappers]

A mistake Part of the process was to paint out unwanted lights with black and I must have been on the wrong layer. I went back and fixed it. Saved by the Edit button again. Always make a copy of your original and turn the Eye Thing off before you start. Then when (not if) you goof you can fix it easily.

Dale

Now you've edited it out - we will have people looking for it - and saying - Whats that Chappers going on about - there's no black blob!!!"

I'm beginning to miss it already

Nice picture Dale.

 

[pdxflint]

What's this about a black blog? Everyone knows it's harder to read print on a black background, so they should outlaw black blogs...! Huh? OooHH! You said black blob?? Well...that's very different... Nevermind!