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pedromen


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Footwear II (Basic Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 100mm f/2.0 USM
Location: just outside the studio... didn't want a flood :)
Date: Jul 5, 2009
Aperture: 14
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/200
Galleries: Still Life, Water
Date Uploaded: Jul 6, 2009

 ...DPChallenge!

Yes, I finally decided to become an active participant of this great community.
For some time now that I've been reading and learning from you guys. Great ideas, fantastic images and a helpful community. Thanks! It's now time to be part of it!

The setup was fairly simple: strobe left and right of tank fish with the same power and distance; and black cover on top of tank fish.

Post-processing:
>Lightroom: open RAW file, Crop, WB, Brightness, Contrast, Clarity and Tone Curve adjustments
>Photoshop: resize, add white and black borders, USM, save as jpg


I would like to thank my friends André ( M4TRIX), Jorge ( De Sousa) and José ( JMoreira) for giving me some help throwing the sneaker and lighting ideas but specially for a nice mood and well spent afternoon (that turn into night... you know...Times flies when you're having fun). I would also want to thank Carlos Marques, a Portuguese photo pioneer in many aspects, for letting me use his studio and trusting me his equipment. It was with him that my photographic world started to get shaped up as a photo course at Oficina Da Imagem.
The biggest thank you to Jorge ( De Sousa) for pushing me to DPC and for making me a much better photographer. You rule man!

So, this is my first step into DPC! You get the title...

Hope you like this image as I had a lot of fun shooting it :)


---------------
Post-challenge:

WOW!!!! Wait a minute (or 2...) Maybe my cellphone isn't working properly... Maybe the columns aren't correct.. Hold on it's still loading... aaahhh.. come on!

Let me explain: I didn't have access to internet all day long yesterday! I wanted to check the results and I couldn't! Aaahhh! So, I remembered to spend extra money to access DPC website through my cellphone just for a quick check:)

What a surprise!!! Wished that I had a faster access as it was excruciating to watch the results sssslllloooowwwwllllyyyy showing up :)
Seriously, I really don't advise people to watch DPC challenge results through a cellphone as you will be prone to heart attack! NOT lol! :)


I couldn't expect better start here at DPC: first challenge, first ribbon! I'm thrilled!
Thank you all for the nice comments and welcoming messages. This is what keeps me going.

So, my own prize for this amazing result was... to become a DPChallenge member!
Well, maybe I'll get some champagne too... or some Portuguese red wine...

A toast to all!

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 124
Avg (all users): 6.9554
Avg (commenters): 8.1111
Avg (participants): 7.0189
Avg (non-participants): 6.9329
Views since voting: 5843
Views during voting: 399
Votes: 202
Comments: 42
Favorites: 2 (view)

Please log in or register to add your comments!

AuthorThread
 07/20/2009 06:08:53 PM
Greetings from the critique club Pedro!

This is so funny, my first critique in over a year and I get given a red ribbon! And here is a little known fact, you joined DPC on my 50th birthday!

So, to the image, what can I say? your first submission and a red ribbon. This is a great product shot, excellent composition and you got the 'splash' just right. I;ve just read you comment below and yes, the choice of this shoe helped this become a winner as the colours work well with water and it was nice to hear how you worked out the buoyancy.

I have to own up and say I was one of the 42 voters that gave a 6. Why just a 6? whilst its a really good shot I've seen many similar shots (not shoes) so it doesn't have the uniqueness for me that it might have done for others. A niggle I have is the laces and personally I'd have lost them by cutting them down or hidden them in the shoe or had them at full length. The exposure is spot on and the shoe is nice and crisp and if the droplets top left had been super sharp this might have been an 8 from me.

I do hope we see more of the same from you Pedro but you already have a lot to live up to!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/18/2009 06:56:15 AM
Congratulations! Welcome to DPC you will love the experience and I look forward to seeing your future work.

I just realized after reading your post that you beat your mentor. How awesome is that? Not only is De Sousa an exceptional photographer, but he also shares his wonderful talents. Bravo to both of you.

Message edited by author 2009-07-18 06:58:34.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/17/2009 10:12:14 PM
Yes,
Thanks
Debbi
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/17/2009 01:43:08 PM
Hey!!! That's cheating!!!. Shots and productions assisted by the master De Sousa should be banned because it's too much of an advantage. You are a lucky man. Welcome to dpc, but I mean you alone :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/16/2009 10:14:52 PM
GOOD GRACIOUS! This was your first entry EVER? And you RIBBONED? I am amazed. You rock my world.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/16/2009 08:00:27 PM
Aha! Good question Debbi.
Well, that was actually a problem. My first choice for a shoe was a little rubber red clog, as I thought it could be a nice color against the white, and the holes would make nice bubbles out of it. But, one problem arose the first time we dove it into the water. It just wouldn't go any deep. And putting some weight inside wouldn't be that flattering because they would be seen through.
So, I went back to the bargain shop where I had just bought the clogs and exchanged them for these nice blue shoes. Once I saw them I loved the colors that reminded me of water. Anyway, to make a long story short, the same problem arose, but this time we could put some stuff inside as it wouldn't be seen through! Just looked around to find some weight. Ended up using some metal little objects but it could have been anything. The good thing about using not just one is the ability to balance the dive. You can put some more weight or remove it until you get the desired weight for the dive. As you can see the shoe is almost aligned with the water surface ;) and it wasn't that easy.
And, yes, there were a few throws too :/

Thanks. Hope it helped.

07/16/2009 07:59:51 PM
Hey, ordinaryangel and ti_evom that's a good idea! Maybe I'll try to contact some shoe advertisers. It would be much fun to make a marketing shoe session originated by a DPC challenge!
I'm really gonna think about this possibility! Thanks.
 07/16/2009 07:07:10 PM
I'm curious why the shoe didn't immediately float? Rocks? Or just a hard throw?
Nice job!
Debbi
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 08:45:46 PM
LOL! I liked reading the details..Nice take on the challenge, and congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 06:41:12 PM
Great image! Congrats on a ribbon! ...and welcome!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 05:38:56 PM
Uau Pedro!

Parabéns, logo à 1ª, uma ribbon! Mais um Português de Luxo?

:)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 12:44:04 PM
Excellent capture congrats on your ribbon!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 11:38:31 AM
Parabéns Pedro, excelente começo!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 08:42:23 AM
Awesome start to DPC. Keep it up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 08:38:03 AM
Impressive start, Pedro! Parabéns e venham mais :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 07:18:24 AM
Awesome start at DPC with a fantastic shot. Congrats on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 06:36:08 AM
Great start with a great shot. Congrats on your ribbon, Pedro.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 06:04:05 AM
What a wonderful DPC intro :) very well done and welcome aboard budd
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 05:18:18 AM
Pedro, way to go! Congrats for this amazing image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 05:08:57 AM
Awesome shot...congrats and welcome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 03:25:23 AM
Welcome and congratulations! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 02:35:03 AM
Congrats on the red ribbon, Pedro – easy, when you have Jorge as an assistant though :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 01:32:18 AM
What a start man! congratulations !!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 01:08:58 AM
Wow! First challenge and first ribbon! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 12:57:53 AM
Nice first entry!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 12:17:15 AM
That ribbon was fast! Congrats! I loved that shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 12:08:56 AM
Congratulations! First challenge & you ribbon. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2009 12:08:01 AM
Oh man, good luck with your second entry! The detail of the shoe is fantastic considering it's moving under water.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/14/2009 11:11:11 PM
Would have been a nice ad for Nike - "Swoosh!"
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/14/2009 06:55:09 PM
very well donne!! 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/14/2009 09:29:13 AM
Looks like you could get paid quite well by Nike or similar for a marketing shoot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2009 10:54:00 PM
This is quite an awesome shot. I like the shape that the displaced water makes behind the shoe.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/10/2009 02:59:53 PM
Very smooth
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/09/2009 10:13:42 PM
Someone had to do it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/09/2009 07:25:26 PM
Great shot! Beautiful colors.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/09/2009 05:23:18 PM
brilliant shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/09/2009 01:16:42 PM
Wow! Absolutely perfect everything. The colors are what gets me - great blues and even some yellow in the reflections in the water. Hope you get top 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2009 10:45:09 PM
very good, I see this with a ribbon attached for sure!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2009 04:27:53 PM
Nice composition and frozen motion
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2009 10:36:38 AM
Another top 10, or top 5 even. Hey maybe it'll ribbon! OR RULE THE WORLD.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2009 04:34:54 AM
you gona win
this is the perfect shoot for a DPC challenge. Bravo!!!
(not voting)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/08/2009 03:58:02 AM
That's a good one! Beautiful with the water gushing out from the top.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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