Almost down the home stretch now. Here's another eight, so there's only
nine left to go. I won't do them tonight, but I expect to have them
posted before Monday. Remember, if you want to be a commentator for the
PUG, write to me off-list! Thanks.
chris
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
" Born Again " by David A. Mann, New Zealand
Not bad, David. The background is beautifully out of focus, and I love
the almost ethereal look of the shedded skin. You also captured the event
at a particularly good moment, as it's just pulling itself out but hasn't
emerged completely. I love it! Moving closer to the insect would have
made it a little larger (not a big deal) and would have removed some of
that out-of-focus (rock? wood?) in the foreground that I find a little
distracting. The insect itself is still a little blurry, but I think that
works well with the muted colours and soft tones. Congrats on getting
this shot!
" Irazu " by Gerald Wang, Canada
Wow, that's a pretty scary lake... glad we don't get our drinking water
from there. I don't have many suggestions, I'm afraid, as I quite like
the framing, perspective, angle, etc. I would only suggest that you
*might* need to darken your scan a bit, as my monitor at its normal
setting shows the image as being washed out. I guess you could also wait
for a day with a bright blue sky and use that to counterpoint the green,
but I think it works okay as a hazy/misty/pastel effect. Now... anyone
for a swim?
" At the stables, a "prancing horse" " by Douglas E Harmon
Nice angle! Exposure is always tricky on shots like this, since you're
trying to balance the highlights on the car with the shadows in the
stable, but for the most part you pull it off. I'd still burn in the
ground around the car, though, as it's reflecting too much light for my
liking.
" Clowns " by Herbet Camerino Brasileiro, Canada
This is a great shot. You nailed the look on the front clown's face
beautifully, and the second one is out of focus enough that (s)he doesn't
detract from the front one, but sharp enough so that we see their eyes and
smile. The colours are very vibrant, though I'd try to tone down the
glare from their suits if that's possible. The repetition of the
identically-dressed clowns is a great way to call attention to their
different facial expressions, and the background is nicely blurred and
colourful. Like I said, this is a great shot.
" Nanjing " by Bucky
What a powerful shot. I agree that the flash vignetting makes this photo
stand out, and I like the composition. The lighting is still a bit harsh
and artificial looking, but that fits the mood of the photo in an X-Files
sort of way. Very haunting.
" Siguwater " by Jens Bladt, Denmark
Hi, Jens. You know, it's a good pose and nice cropping, but I can't help
but feel that I'd like the original more than the digitally edited
version. I don't know that this particular filter really added anything
to the image. It's obviously a personal preference thing (like all of my
suggestions), but I'm not fond of the texture of the skin tones, though I
must admit to liking the hair (except for that puzzle piece sticking out
on the left hand side). :) I think that there's a lot that you can do
with this photo; I'm just not sure that you've found the best filter or
combination of filters yet. Keep playing!
" Stockholm, August 1997 " by Lasse Karlsson
This is a good crowd scene, but I can see what you mean about viewing it
at a larger size. Unfortunately, the figures on horseback are not as
prominent as they could be. That seems to be due to the grain of an ISO
800 half-frame neg that's been cropped. :) Pretty good, considering the
itty bitty negative size that you had to have been working with. I love
the composition, and the blurred crowd captures the feeling of movement
perfectly. I just find myself wishing that *some* part of the photo
(preferably those horseback guys) could be sharper and more distinct, but
oh well. I might have also burned in the upper left just a touch to see
how it looks. You did a great job of capturing the moment, though, and of
artistically conveying the movement that was occuring.
" Bill " by Bob Sullivan
Hi, Bob. I'm sorry to hear about Bill, and glad to hear that he's getting
better. That must be hell to go through, both from your end and his. My
thoughts are with you. As far as the photo goes, I can see the difference
in his hair; it's definitely growing back. You're getting some of that
yellow tungsten glow, but you know what.... who cares? It was a nice idea
to make a composite, and I'm sure you're able to touch it up or make
another one later if you're not happy with its technical merits. For now,
just enjoy having your son back, and thanks for sharing.
chris
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