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Photo of the Day - November 2008
- Thread starter kylos
- Start date
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Doylem... do you mean like this?
Looks like fun... and plenty of room for more experiments...
Thank you! I tried a digital version of the "Orton Effect" using Capture NX2. If you use the same program here is a link that gives you the steps. If you use another program like Photoshop just google and there are a number of "guides". It's a neat look, almost like an oil painting.
Am I the only one who is getting tired of this HDR mania? I mean, the method has its uses, but if you look at an HDR photo and the only thing you like about it is the "effect" then it is a failure of a photograph. I think more people should stop and ask themselves if it is really necessary to bracket 3, 5, 9 shots of something the camera has no trouble capturing in a single exposure. Hell, even if it blows out some highlights or drops out some shadow detail--sometimes you can use that creatively!
I guess what I'm saying is, don't focus on your post work more than the original composition itself. Same goes for these "Dragan" and "Ortan" or whatever effects. It's like gift-wrapping a pair of socks with shiny paper and bows. It's still socks underneath, and once people find out that it's socks, well, that's a sad Christmas.
There is a time and place for every "trick" out there, but you should rely more on your eye and the lens and camera than you computer when it comes to photography.
We should set a week or month or something where all the regulars swear off HDR/Orton/Dragan/whatever effects and get back to basics. I am not convinced that everyone here is trying their hardest or thinking or planning when they're out shooting.
edit: here is mine for the day
click for larger
setup (new AlienBees! 2x B1600's and one ABR800 Ringflash)
I guess what I'm saying is, don't focus on your post work more than the original composition itself. Same goes for these "Dragan" and "Ortan" or whatever effects. It's like gift-wrapping a pair of socks with shiny paper and bows. It's still socks underneath, and once people find out that it's socks, well, that's a sad Christmas.
There is a time and place for every "trick" out there, but you should rely more on your eye and the lens and camera than you computer when it comes to photography.
We should set a week or month or something where all the regulars swear off HDR/Orton/Dragan/whatever effects and get back to basics. I am not convinced that everyone here is trying their hardest or thinking or planning when they're out shooting.
edit: here is mine for the day
click for larger
setup (new AlienBees! 2x B1600's and one ABR800 Ringflash)
People should be allowed to post process however they bloody see fit. It's all an evolutionary process of learning, and not everyone follows the exact same path.
And, as I've noted a long time ago and must note again, the prevailing line of orthodoxy on this photo forum is creative image capture and creative image processing are somehow mutually exclusive. That concept makes me cringe.
And, as I've noted a long time ago and must note again, the prevailing line of orthodoxy on this photo forum is creative image capture and creative image processing are somehow mutually exclusive. That concept makes me cringe.
I say just let everyone do their own thing... I for one, actually like specular highlights, especially in b/w - gives that sparkly look. I also don't mind blown highlights in lots of cases, backlighting being one example. But, I also like the notion of extended range, which was originated mainly by Ansel Adams with his black and white exposure, development and printing techniques. It all has it's place, and here is a place that should just be open to anything. Peace, y'all!
My 'this day's' entry:
Long idle equipment at an old Crown-Zellerbach log mill on the Willamette River, West Linn, Oregon
Canon EOS A2 35mm
Canon 28-105
Kodak Tri-X 400 ASA film
scanned from print
no other exif recorded
My 'this day's' entry:
Long idle equipment at an old Crown-Zellerbach log mill on the Willamette River, West Linn, Oregon
Canon EOS A2 35mm
Canon 28-105
Kodak Tri-X 400 ASA film
scanned from print
no other exif recorded
Hmmm... I'm not going to enter the argument about 'straight' photography vs 'manipulated' photography ('cos that way madness lies
).People should post what they want here; if they classify their pix as 'photos'... then that's fine with me.
I don't categorise my own pix by the techniques I've used. I don't shoot 'grey grad pix' or 'tripod pix' or 'HDR pix' (yes, I use the technique, albeit sparingly). I just shoot pix.
PP techniques are tools in the toolbox. They can be used with skill and discrimination... or without. Personally, I don't like pix that are so heavily manipulated that I can hardly bear to look at them. And I get bored when folk use some technique to add a bit of spurious 'glitter' to a dull shot.
There are lots of people who will never learn the basics of photography, because they spend their time pressing buttons in Photoshop. And if they don't learn the basics, they'll never 'move on' and become proficient photographers.
An example... I posted a pic of Pablo Picasso a couple of days ago, 'painting with light'. People often deride Picasso for his painterly style (or, rather, styles...), but, crucially, he knew how to draw. His student work is extraordinary: draughtsmanship in the classic manner. Having learned the basics, he 'moved on'... to create many of the defining visual statements of the 20th century.
My own contributions to this forum are pretty 'straight', 'cos photography, for me is all about seeing, being attentive, slowing down, settling into the landscape, etc. But I make small adjustments in Aperture; it's an intrinsic part of shooting RAW. So I'm a 'manipulator' too.
Oh please, let's not get dramatic here. You know exactly the type of work I'm talking about, and I am not referring to you. I said HDR has its place. I myself have used it. I'm just tired of people bracketing photos of EVERYTHING regardless of whether or not it's needed or even if it will actually enhance the photo. And if you decide the lighting requires multiple exposures, or some other effect, then people shouldn't just stop there. I don't see enough work with composition or any basic design sense in the photos I'm talking about.
It's not just this forum, either. It's polluted nearly every photo site I frequent.
You can put lipstick on a pig, etc, etc.
Edit: Ugh. Let me make this clear: I am NOT opposed to post processing in Photoshop! I do post work on every photo for my portfolio! I am just saying that it gets sickening when there is more post work than there is photo, you know? I guess what I am saying is that an HDR photo or "Orton" or "Dragan" effect photo should not SCREAM that it has been edited. The effect should not be the draw. If that is the case, then you have failed. It's as simple as that.
(ooh I better watch out for the gotcha media!)
lazylightning i love the dreamy look to your photo.
and NStocks...wow that looks almost identical to the original (pre release) Leopard wallpaper
I know, I just got my first Mac and saw the grass wallpaper... I think I prefer mine, it had a different feel to it
NStocks
I think that some people have their niche and HDR could be someone's. Take Valdore for example, if you look at some of his HDRs they look surreal, almost like looking into a virtual world from a video game. But you can't tell someone to not do what they do great, are you going to tell Cezanne to stop painting still life? Are you going to criticize how he painted multiple times over the same object, sorta the same as post processing. Some people do go a tad over the top, but they are experimenting, you never get anywhere without trying. That's like me telling you I'm tired of you on;y posting portraits, there's so much more on the outside, so stop posting portraits and go take a picture of a leaf. I wouldn't do that because you are mastering portrait work. Its one of the basics and you have it down, so I don't discourage.
I think a more productive approach would be to take the time to comment on the offending photos so that the person responsible knows exactly what about their photo isn't working. If the composition is off, say so. If the subject is unclear, let them know. It's best to articulate exactly why the HDR effect (or Dragan filter or whatever) seems superficial and is not an appropriate extension of the photograph's own force.
Sound Lighthouse
Port Townsend, WA
Personally, I think that photography is subjective to the viewer. One person may love a particular photo, no matter how processed, and another may not. Arguing over the process provides little help to the photographer to improve thier craft. Offering constructive criticism, or a sensitive opinion goes much farther than saying "I dislike HDR, or PP".... One should offer a positive comment, then a constructive one when viewing an image, otherwise keep just the negitives to yourself. If you dont have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all... let it go. It's just a photo thread.
Port Townsend, WA
Personally, I think that photography is subjective to the viewer. One person may love a particular photo, no matter how processed, and another may not. Arguing over the process provides little help to the photographer to improve thier craft. Offering constructive criticism, or a sensitive opinion goes much farther than saying "I dislike HDR, or PP".... One should offer a positive comment, then a constructive one when viewing an image, otherwise keep just the negitives to yourself. If you dont have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all... let it go. It's just a photo thread.
Well yeah, if a person post-process each one of his photos just to make it look good then something is wrong with his technique, but like others says, post-processing allows more creativity to be done. I always wanted to shoot a picture with details on the sky and details on the subject (houses) but I can never get both because as soon as I increase my exposure, the house become too dark, decrease the exposure, the sky is too bright. So HDR seems to be the only way for me to make it blend together. Just made my first HDR today, not stunning in any way but I like its odd artificial look
I like MaddMacs stance... Photography is a form of Art. Each photo and technique draws individual reaction. That reaction is your personal emotion towards something and that what makes us human. There are pictures that I look at and they do nothing for me but thats not to say the next person wont have an attachment to it. Thats what makes photography great. Two people can be standing in the same place with the same equipment and your going to get two different pictures. Post Processing is just another form of the art. Another tool to be creative.
Boka Kotorska, Montenegro
I'm going to guess that "convenient location" was not high on the list of priorities for the planners of this church.
I'm going to guess that "convenient location" was not high on the list of priorities for the planners of this church.
