Cory's comments (Was: My PUG Assignment.)
Thanks Cory. I appreciate your comments. Cory wrote: The Finish Line -- Lasse Karlsson I have to admit that on the first pass through the list I didn't notice that the runners were the only things in color. Guess my mind disregarded the obvious difference. Yes, that's funny. You're the second one to report this experience. On second look though, it's a striking change-up. Leaves me wondering how it was done. At first I picked this picture because of it's kind of (to me) archetypical scene. The six human bodies and minds going for passing that line sooner than anybody else. As I earlier mentioned this is quite a crop of the original, where I opted for this perspective rather than the more commonly expected. But partcularly beacuse of the back light on the runners and the high intensity of the (beautiful) colour of the track itself, competing for attention from the runners, I decided to try to pull them out by desaturate the colours around them. This was done in Photoshop by selecting (and desaturating) the areas in the various ways allowed by Photoshop. It took a while (a few hours), since my technique is not very well developed. If you look closely you will find that it's not perfect in this regard. There are small areas and borders that still would need some work. I simply had to leave it in order not to miss the deadline. Anyway I enjoy the result too. I agree with some others that I would like the shot to include more of the stadium and less of the track in front of the runners. Yes, except for comments in private, this seems to be the taste of the majority of commentators. (Guess I'm lucky it's not a popularity contest...:) ) I would also like to see a little more space to each side, though I think you said there were offending items to each side that you chose to omit. No, no offending items. I just wanted to bring out, as much as possible of the runners that the max 600 pixels wide rule allowed me. It is of interest to hear that you'd prefer more space. Love how you were able to capture the runners at various stages of their finish-line stride. It's good to get all the runners in a single shot like that. Yes, there's always an element of luck (or unluck) in these kinds of shots. (On this roll I had at least one before and one after this shot. On another roll (another body) I think I have a few shots from the early part of the race.). They were indeed lined up well for a shot like this. I understand you were actually in the run-off area. It's an extraordinary place to be for that race, those guys seem like they would be so focused on their race that they'd run you over in a heartbeat and get up wondering what happened. Yes, I had a pass for the track and particular shooting areas, but unfortunately not for the inner field where I would have loved to go. (Well, in fact I did in one particular case (a javelin throwing girl that I did a piece on) without having any problems from the organisers.) Anyway, the runners are used to having photographers around so they do look out for not hitting anyone. It's mostly a matter of keeping still at crucial moments and watch out, and you'll be fine. (It helps, or actually is required, that you do know about the various disciplines going on - where and when different things will be happening etc. I love being there shooting.) Keep your head up mate. Looks like they were all pretty close at the end, who won? I seem to recall that the (blue-white) Finn in the middle actually won, although it looks like it's the Swede doing a victory sign. (Not absolutely sure though. Would have to look it up.) Thanks, Lasse - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: Cory's comments (Was: My PUG Assignment.)
Lasse Karlsson wrote: I decided to try to pull them out by desaturate the colours around them. This was done in Photoshop Hi Lasse, Did you select the runners and then go to the inverse? Did you use the wand or the pen or both? I think you did a very credible job, certainly adequate for a lo-res jpeg. And I think the effect is dramatic and fascinating. A commentator wrote: I agree with some others that I would like the shot to include more of the stadium and less of the track in front of the runners. snip I would also like to see a little more space to each side, I like the way the photo is cropped. The lanes extending into the foreground give it a scope and power that might be lost in a crop that included more background. I think it's an excellent photo and is certainly among my favorites in this month's gallery. Paul Stenquist. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Lasse's picture (Was: Cory's comments (Was: My PUG Assignment.
Paul Stenquist wrote Lasse Karlsson wrote: I decided to try to pull them out by desaturate the colours around them. This was done in Photoshop Hi Lasse, Did you select the runners and then go to the inverse? Did you use the wand or the pen or both? I think you did a very credible job, certainly adequate for a lo-res jpeg. And I think the effect is dramatic and fascinating. Thanks. Your questions make me have to admit that there is a lot more to be desired regarding my yet primitive command of Photoshop. (First of all (in case there is anybody who thinks there is anything special to what I did): Anyone with even a cheap freeware program that allows Selecting and Saturation (and preferably Zooming) can do what I did to this picture. Anyone, even only slightly more experienced in using Photoshop, could have done it in a fraction of the time I spent doing it, and much more perfectly at that.) At first glance, once having decided to go this route, I was naively thinking: Oh, yeah, I will select the runners one by one using the magic wand, inverse, and then by a click on desaturate the picture would magically and instantly appear as intended. I immediatley noticed that the runners weren't that easily selected (at least not to me). The wand, of which I am not a master, would crawl out in all directions and it also proved to be too slow for me to try to add or subtract to the selection, so I gave it up at this stage. (Btw. I didn't even use layers. (Each time I do, sooner or later I seem to get stuck in some mysterious function that I don't understand yet.) Furthermore my version of Photoshop (v4) has only one level of undo, why you have to be careful at each command.) What I did at first was simply panorama-selecting close to the runners, inversed the selection and desaturated. Then I simply went by using the various types of selection tools, the wand, the square, the circled, the elliptic etc., which ever seemed useful for any particular area. This was roughly my time consuming method - Select/Desaturate/Select/Desaturate (often at high magnifications.) You asked about the Pen tool, and I have to admit that there are a few Tools that I haven't yet used or learned how to use. The Pen is one of them. I did use the Lasso though. (Unfortunately my mouse is not very good. Sometimes when I move it an inch, the cursor/pointer won't move at all. Then all of a sudden that ball in the mouse makes a jump and the line I am about to draw will also jump into areas where it is not supposed to. I am dreaming about when I will afford that Wacom(?) pen and tablet.) As far as I recall I didn't have to use any corrective tools, like the Smudge, Rubber stamp (Clone) etc.Nothing was added or cleaned up. Normally I would have taken some time working with levels, colors, contrasts etc, but I was very late for the submission deadline so everything had to be done very hastily. A commentator wrote: I agree with some others that I would like the shot to include more of the stadium and less of the track in front of the runners. snip I would also like to see a little more space to each side, I like the way the photo is cropped. The lanes extending into the foreground give it a scope and power that might be lost in a crop that included more background. I think it's an excellent photo and is certainly among my favorites in this month's gallery. Thanks, you read it the way I was hoping for. (I guess we're suspects of having founded a mutual admiration society though... :) ) Lasse - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
My PUG Assignment.
I have been fortunate to draw a couple pictures that have received other comments on the list for my first set of assigned photos. Here goes nothin: The Finish Line -- Lasse Karlsson I have to admit that on the first pass through the list I didn't notice that the runners were the only things in color. Guess my mind disregarded the obvious difference. On second look though, it's a striking change-up. Leaves me wondering how it was done. I agree with some others that I would like the shot to include more of the stadium and less of the track in front of the runners. I would also like to see a little more space to each side, though I think you said there were offending items to each side that you chose to omit. Love how you were able to capture the runners at various stages of their finish-line stride. It's good to get all the runners in a single shot like that. I understand you were actually in the run-off area. It's an extraordinary place to be for that race, those guys seem like they would be so focused on their race that they'd run you over in a heartbeat and get up wondering what happened. Keep your head up mate. Looks like they were all pretty close at the end, who won? Our Lady Of Three Graces --Jim Brooks I was struck by the ghostly look of the faces. The grain is a little distracting. I'd like to see a little more definition in the face on the right, though that might lessen the ghost-effect I like so much. Why are the noses glowing? I find it amazing that this is a photo of statues outside. It's something I'd like to see in person. I would really like to see the rest of the statues, I'm curious to see how the faces are portrayed in real-life :) Alto -- D. Glenn Arthur Jr. This is an interesting shot. I know I would have included the whole instrument, probably to the detriment of the image. That lavender tint in combination with the star filter reminds me of the Seventies and ABBA for some reason. The watch is distracting. Three flashes eh? Some day I may work that hard and achieve a nice images like this. Probably not though Where's the other hand? Of course, I could be full of it. I don't really know anything about pictures anyway :))) Cory Waters Atlanta, GA USA - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
My PUG assignment: Dombek, Smith, Sundstrom, Kanto
My assignment this month is to comment the shots of Ed Dombek, Mike Smith, Patti Sundstrom and Ayash Kanto. Cherry Rooster by Ed Dombek That's what I call a lucky shot. You've been able to catch a very quick movement and you have nicely put the subject not exactly in the center of the frame (even if you did it by cropping the print). I'm sure you couldn't in such a hurry, but I would have compensated the metering (+1 or +1,5 EV), the shadow are really dark and I barely see any detail of the plumage. Sitting Pretty by Mike Smith Pretty indeed (the squirrel...) but rather still. I would have avoided to place the eye of the subject in the center leaving so much room in the upper part of the frame. Maybe a little more of the trunk where the rodent sits would have made the difference. I find the clear branch in the background (the one that crosses the ears of the squirrel) a bit distracting, too. Anyway, I understand that shooting at little wild animals in their environment is rather difficult. I like the color rendition of the shot. Buick Hood Ornament by Patti Sundstrom, USA I like the colors of the shot and the composition, except for two details: the lower part of the windshield seems to be there by mistake (the reflex on the engine hood is enough to suggest its presence) and what appears to be like a wooden door on the background should have been more out of focus - hard to obtain with a 400 ISO film (the contrast of the colors is nice, though). Too bad the scan looks very poor on the screen. Do Ants like Tap Water? by Ayash Kanto Nice shot. I like the act of seeing and catching the moment, and the framing too. The shot looks soft, but it's probably a fault of the lens, used wide open. Gianfranco Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
