Norman Rockwell - I tried ... not quite there?

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

09/25/2015 12:04:56 PM · #1

Prior to the challenge going into voting I showed this to some co-workers. I asked them, without any prompting, what their initial thought was when seeing it for the first time. Both of them said Norman Rockwell. I smiled ... thought I had it.

Then voting started and reality set in. :-)

The score was fine overall. Honestly didn't really care about the score on this one. I was really hoping to trigger some comments during the challenge voting period. I did get comments (and thank you to those that did! :) ... but not one picked up on what I was going for with the processing.

So, I guess I didn't quite get there?

tanguera

Nikon D750

09/25/2015 12:20:48 PM · #2

The thing about Rockwell is that he as "selective" detail. The pp'g in your image is just SO aggressive EVERYWHERE. But it is a great moment.

tate

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

09/25/2015 12:25:04 PM · #3

I had to look at some of his images to give you my opinion. It is interesting than many of his paintings do seem to have an HDR to feel to them. I'd say you were pretty close - but the complexity of the rocks in the background don't scream Norman Rockwell - so IMHO, it is more the environment rather than your treatment or the moment that might not connect with ppl as a NR artwork.

JakeKurdsjuk

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

09/25/2015 12:30:29 PM · #4

As I mentioned in my comment, I really like the image, but not the processing. The moment is wonderful, but what caught me was that you had an actual spotlight in the image that you didn't use to just pull you to the subject. Your processing just brought out the details in everything, distracting from the image as a whole.

It's hard to work from a screen capture, but had you been something closer to this you'd have been in my top 3 easily.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

09/25/2015 12:45:41 PM · #5

Jake has the right idea; his PPing is good for at LEAST another full point from me. Another thing that would have helped make it sing is squaring up the "horizon", the floor/wall intersection. Rockwell was always meticulous about details like that. But back to the main issue, the processing: your "HDR" is over-tonemapped so there is NO depth at all. Rockwell knew the virtues of using light to model a scene. Wonderful image, wonderful "moment; the whole thing's achingly close to being great :-)

09/25/2015 01:10:55 PM · #6

Good feedback! Thank you. I won't give up then. :-)

As for the lighting ... I agree, it washed out some. I also went lighter on the outside edges instead of darker (I was trying to keep the whole thing from getting too dark - NR always had a light feel to me). I struggled with that decision.

The room itself had SO many angles there wasn't a straight horizon in it anywhere! LOL This is the right half of the room ... the left side leaned a bit the other way. It actually was somewhat scary just being in the building ... didn't feel very safe. :-)

PenelopeK

Sony Alpha a7 II

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

09/25/2015 01:48:15 PM · #7

It looks like you used the top of the picture as your level, which was a smart move as I think that being off the horizontal would feel particularly bad!

tate

Apple iPhone 14 Pro

09/25/2015 02:01:23 PM · #8

Some great observations from DPC folks. Any chance we can see the original (without HDR) ? Just for fun ...

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

09/25/2015 02:38:04 PM · #9

Originally posted by tate:

Some great observations from DPC folks. Any chance we can see the original (without HDR) ? Just for fun ...

Yep. I'll load it up tonight after work.

Bear_Music

09/25/2015 03:05:28 PM · #10

This is what I mean about the perspective: Using the skew tool in PS, lower left corner DOWN and upper left corner LEFT gives me this, done on Jake's version.

09/25/2015 03:12:50 PM · #11

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

This is what I mean about the perspective: Using the skew tool in PS, lower left corner DOWN and upper left corner LEFT gives me this, done on Jake's version.

Duh! Stupid, stupid, me. Of course I should have seen that ... I've certainly used that tool numerous times before. Grrr.

... but, Thanks nonetheless. :-D

Tiny

Apple iPad mini 4

09/25/2015 06:36:09 PM · #12

Good o

Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

09/25/2015 06:53:55 PM · #13

Originally posted by tate:

Some great observations from DPC folks. Any chance we can see the original (without HDR) ? Just for fun ...

Here you go Tate (and anyone else that wants to take a shot at it). I'm a little tight on portfolio space here so I resized this down to half size 3000x2000.

vikas

Apple iPhone 13

09/25/2015 08:57:14 PM · #14

Felt like playing with this - here is my quick stab at this

giantmike

Canon EOS R6

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

09/25/2015 09:33:48 PM · #15

Originally posted by vikas:

Felt like playing with this - here is my quick stab at this

Oh yes. That crop. Perfect.

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

09/25/2015 09:43:23 PM · #16

Originally posted by vikas:

Felt like playing with this - here is my quick stab at this

VERY nice!

ETA - One thing I just noticed ... I like the thumbnail view, but at a larger size the OOF table and cup in the right foreground bothers me a little (teeny-tiny) bit. :)

Message edited by author 2015-09-25 21:48:52.

Bear_Music

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

09/25/2015 09:49:52 PM · #17

I'm not sure I agree with that crop. The table's an eyesore, and the coffee container on it sucks my eye. To me, it's too tight on the top also. A lot of mood is gone, for me.

tanguera

Nikon D750

09/26/2015 12:53:15 PM · #18

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

I'm not sure I agree with that crop. The table's an eyesore, and the coffee container on it sucks my eye. To me, it's too tight on the top also. A lot of mood is gone, for me.

Gotta say, I'm with Bear on the original crop, but the pp'g is more Rockwellesque to me