Photo of the Day - October 2009

[Phrasikleia]

Great pic, no doubt.

I'm curious what the intention of the image was. Seeing the bridal bouquet on the ground puts me ill at ease. For some reason, it seems like something has gone wrong. For comparison, take the classic movie shot focusing on a pair of glasses on the ground, presumably knocked off their owner after something bad has happened. The subdued color, and bride and groom out of focus in the background standing solemnly with hands at their sides reinforces the feeling. It's a powerful image no doubt, but perhaps not my first choice for the cover of my wedding album

This is exactly what I was thinking. I get a strong sense of abandon, neglect, loss, separation, disassociation...it "reads" more like a funeral than a wedding.

The one with the bouquet on the beach is warmer and more lively, but I still don't get a connection between the couple and the bouquet, and there is still this sense of degradation with the bouquet on the ground instead of in the bride's hands or else in the air.

So I think the photos have plenty going for them on an aesthetic level, but on the conceptual level, they kind of run aground.

 

[mattcube64]

Alright, well, I've been shooting for about a month now, so I guess I'll start pitching mine in from now on

Go easy on me

Anyhoo, took this picture a couple weeks ago, but I just found it lying on my desktop tonight while importing pictures to the Lightroom beta.

 

[stagi]

Thanks



Good points. Thanks for the critique It's definitely unusual. This couple was quite "nontraditional" and they had a very informal ceremony. They seemed like a pretty artsy couple as well, so I was trying some things that were "out there". Normally when I do this shot with couples, I have them walking and it's a bit "warmer" in tone.

However, for the shot I posted earlier, we were doing photos in the early afternoon with no clouds or outdoor shade, so I was limited in my compositional opportunities with regards to being able to do anything outdoors (due both to the unflattering light and the intense arizona heat), so there wasn't any room to do any walking.

I like the feel of this one much better than the other (mainly just love the light here)

 

[175170]

Alright, well, I've been shooting for about a month now, so I guess I'll start pitching mine in from now on

Go easy on me

Anyhoo, took this picture a couple weeks ago, but I just found it lying on my desktop tonight while importing pictures to the Lightroom beta.

Nice picture!
Seems to me another way of doing this would be with HDR.

Great pic, no doubt.

I'm curious what the intention of the image was. Seeing the bridal bouquet on the ground puts me ill at ease. For some reason, it seems like something has gone wrong. For comparison, take the classic movie shot focusing on a pair of glasses on the ground, presumably knocked off their owner after something bad has happened. The subdued color, and bride and groom out of focus in the background standing solemnly with hands at their sides reinforces the feeling. It's a powerful image no doubt, but perhaps not my first choice for the cover of my wedding album

This is exactly what I was thinking. I get a strong sense of abandon, neglect, loss, separation, disassociation...it "reads" more like a funeral than a wedding.

The one with the bouquet on the beach is warmer and more lively, but I still don't get a connection between the couple and the bouquet, and there is still this sense of degradation with the bouquet on the ground instead of in the bride's hands or else in the air.

So I think the photos have plenty going for them on an aesthetic level, but on the conceptual level, they kind of run aground.

Exactly.
At first, looking at just the shot, it was incredible.
However, once I realized that this was a wedding photograph, that took me by suprise. The overall composition makes this seem much more mellow, and the depth of field also added into that. (Focused on the flowers, symbolizing the relationship just falling down, not focused on the people, because they just aren't important anymore; they're not focused on each other anymore)

As a standalone photograph though, it's beautiful.

 

[Doylem]

Nice picture!
Seems to me another way of doing this would be with HDR.

I don't think HDR would help. It would put a little detail into the shadows, but I don't think that would look any better than a black silhouette.

The secret to a sunset, IMO, is planning: deciding to go somewhere, an hour before the sunset will look its best, and set up a shot. If the foregound is to be in silhouette, then make it an interesting silhouette.

I'd rather have one shot that really 'sings' than a few shots that don't quite work. And I've stood by many a lake, with camera on tripod, waiting for a dramatic sunset that never quite happened. But those occasions are the 'rent' we pay for when we get to witness something amazing.

OK, I appreciate that time is a problem; we never seem to have enough of it. But spending a little more time, finding and setting up a shot, will pay dividends in raising the quality threshold.

 

[Fuzzy14]

Further to the recent portraits taken against floral backgrounds, here's one I did back in August. Took me about 20 shots to get one relatively in focus (and it's still not perfect).

 

[capoeirista]

 

[grassland]

blue berries

In the land of plenty.

 

[CK Williams]

Sunset

also posted in the Fortnightly Challenge. (clickable)

 

[someoldguy]

Some flower I found walking around last month.

 

[Nicholie]

This is a much less flattering angle for her, and the photo looks overexposed.

I can agree on the angle, maybe , but the overexposed look is because it is just a notch on the high end, but nothing is blown out on the histogram or on my screen here.

 

[sonor]

​

 

[Phrasikleia]

I can agree on the angle, maybe , but the overexposed look is because it is just a notch on the high end, but nothing is blown out on the histogram or on my screen here.

Overexposure doesn't necessarily mean clipped highlights. An overexposed image is merely one that has received too much light. A stop or two darker would have favored her skin instead of the dark foliage. If you shot it in raw, you can probably correct for it. Even if not, a curves adjustment could probably help. However, I'd be more inclined to work on the first one--maybe desaturate the orange in it a bit (locally, not globally). That first photo has a lot going for it and is (in my view) worthy of some extra effort in post.

 

[oblomow]

the work is never done...

 

[Doylem]

 

[nuwomb]

 

[BarryJ]

Salmon River

Thessalon, ON

 

[Designer Dale]

Hi, all.

Just my take on the wedding photos that have drawn a lot of comments. I don't do weddings, but I understand that it is an odd business. It always seems to have themes that couples have to have in their photos, and they change with the times. The Cake Sharing. The Ring on the Hand. The Joined Hands Walking Down the Isle. Now it seems to be The Flowers on the Ground. Go figure. When I was married in '81, we all did the photos. Including me. I don't have a Divorce Album, though. Maybe that's the next big thing....

Dale

 

[Designer Dale]

also posted in the Fortnightly Challenge. (clickable)

Very cool. In Washington State, Mt. Rainier gets odd cloud formations like that. Sometimes it looks like it's wearing a huge UFO as a hat.

Dale

 

[panoz7]

 

[pdxflint]

Contemplation...

Just before heading out into the big wave surf of Nelscott Reef.

Model: NIKON D300
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/1500 sec
Aperture: 4.0
Focal Length: 300mm

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

Happy 90th!

On her 90th birthday:

EXIF:

 

[Designer Dale]

Pacific Lutheran University. Parkland, Washington. Established 1889.

Dale

 

[Phrasikleia]

Pacific Lutheran University. Parkland, Washington. Established 1889.

Dale

Gorgeous Fall colors, Dale! Perfect lighting for this shot. I like how there is a puffy white cloud nestled in between the two yellow trees. Nice one.

 

[Designer Dale]

Gorgeous Fall colors, Dale! Perfect lighting for this shot. I like how there is a puffy white cloud nestled in between the two yellow trees. Nice one.

Thanks a bunch! I'm getting used to my dslr and am better at processing RAW now. I shot this with a monopod. It really slowed me down and made me concentrate on framing. With the camera where I wanted it, I just stood there and watched campus life go by until my light came around. You and Doylem have been very helpful......

Dale