My first photo as a member. - DPChallenge Forums

01/16/2005 03:41:06 PM · #1

My first photo as a member. I took this photo in Florida last year with the camera on Auto. I have not done any editing in Photoshop. I am looking for some constructive criticism. Please be nice.

dsidwell

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/16/2005 03:55:41 PM · #2

I left comments on the image. Nice work!

Kavey

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC for Canon

01/16/2005 04:01:04 PM · #3

Me too!

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

01/16/2005 04:06:04 PM · #4

Thanks for the kind words. You have definitly justified my membership dues. I hope to have much more work to come as I learn from all the helpful people at this website.

Message edited by author 2005-01-16 16:06:18.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

01/16/2005 04:43:49 PM · #5

Left comment on photo. Post back if you'd like me to post an example of a possible edit of this.

peecee

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

01/16/2005 05:51:40 PM · #6

Excellent first upload.
Well taken.

Paul.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/16/2005 06:08:57 PM · #7

Originally posted by rex07734:

My first photo as a member. I took this photo in Florida last year with the camera on Auto. I have not done any editing in Photoshop. I am looking for some constructive criticism. Please be nice.

Wonderful photograph - I just put it in Photoshop to see what it would look like and you have a lot of details in the picture. Looked great. I have a copy of it saved it you would like to see it. Great eye

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/16/2005 08:32:32 PM · #8

Thanks for all the comments. I have heard that a photographer will take a lot of shots to get that one perfect shot. Well I took eleven of this lake and I still don't feel I took the perfect shot, but from the comments I feel pretty good about it. Thanks again.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

01/16/2005 08:48:42 PM · #9

Originally posted by rex07734:

Did a little editing and believe me you took a great shot imo. No editing can make a bad picture look good. But editing CAN make a good picture look even better. Believe me you took a great shot.
Here is the edited version, hope you didn't mind me tweaking it. Let me know what you think.

PhotoRyno

01/16/2005 08:58:18 PM · #10

I love the original photo and I also like the edited version. Wish I could edit to that level.

I would like to know the steps required to go from the original to the editided version.

SDW65, I hope you dont mind me asking?

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/16/2005 09:04:26 PM · #11

Great edit. I agree and wish I could edit like that.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

01/16/2005 09:11:05 PM · #12

Originally posted by PhotoRyno:

I donâ��t mind at all. Here are the steps. [Please keep in mind that the end results can vary].
1. Create a duplicate layer
2. Under the duplicate layer: Auto Level, Auto contrast, and Auto color.
3. Still under the duplicate layer: Filter > blur > Gaussian Blur set @7.5 pixels.
4. Blend duplicate layer with screen @ 70%
5. Repeat step 3
6. Blend duplicate layer with multiply @ 70%
7. Flatten Layers
8. Image > Adjustments > Auto Level, Auto Contrast, Auto Color
9. Canvas size increase 20 pixels left, right, and top. 40 pixels bottom and added text.

orussell

Canon EOS Rebel T6s

Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM

01/16/2005 09:14:10 PM · #13

Nice editting job Scott.

01/16/2005 09:46:49 PM · #14

Originally posted by SDW65:

Originally posted by PhotoRyno:
I love the original photo and I also like the edited version. Wish I could edit to that level.

I would like to know the steps required to go from the original to the editided version.

SDW65, I hope you dont mind me asking?

I donâ��t mind at all. Here are the steps. [Please keep in mind that the end results can vary].
1. Create a duplicate layer
2. Under the duplicate layer: Auto Level, Auto contrast, and Auto color.
3. Still under the duplicate layer: Filter > blur > Gaussian Blur set @7.5 pixels.
4. Blend duplicate layer with screen @ 70%
5. Repeat step 3
6. Blend duplicate layer with multiply @ 70%
7. Flatten Layers
8. Image > Adjustments > Auto Level, Auto Contrast, Auto Color
9. Canvas size increase 20 pixels left, right, and top. 40 pixels bottom and added text.

Sounds like you know what you are doing. I will be glad when I learn how to do all this stuff!!

PhotoRyno

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/17/2005 01:08:23 PM · #15

SDW65

Thanks for the steps you went through to edit the image.
It is a little difficult learning the digital darkroom, although with lots of practice and tips here and there - should get me somewhere.??

Thanks for the time.

Artifacts

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

01/17/2005 01:19:01 PM · #16

Originally posted by rex07734:

My first photo as a member. I took this photo in Florida last year with the camera on Auto. I have not done any editing in Photoshop. I am looking for some constructive criticism. Please be nice.

The real issue with this image is that it lacks something of foregound interest. You need a boat, reeds, a bird or something, ANYTHING, that adds value to the picture.

As is it is a great background in search of a subject. :)

Others have demonstrated that post processing in Photoshop can improve the image. This is true of EVERY image and has become an intimate part of photography in general.

Never let anyone convince you that an untouched image out of camera is somehow better that one post processed. It can't be. The only thing that can happen is that it is post processed poorly and there are plenty of examples at DPC of that you can find.

Message edited by author 2005-01-17 13:20:15.

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/17/2005 01:27:13 PM · #17

Great photo, nice color and composition.

But I think putting "constructive criticism" and "please be nice" in the same sentence is an oxy moron :-)

jonpink

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

01/17/2005 01:36:51 PM · #18

Well going against the grain here, I for one do not find anything appealing in this photograph.

There are no real obvious eye candy points to it, nor does it provoke any kind of emotion in me.

What you have is a very well taken shot of a very dull subject - green trees and water. Something the world is full of already. There is no sense of depth or sale, the sky is pretty original and the composition pretty insipid too.

Not being horrible, just giving you a critique.

However it has it's merits - it is well exposed and pin sharp so technically it's pretty good.

To enhance this firstly I would have either given more weight to the sky or the water, as it is your horizon is stuck slap bang in the middle a real big photo book no-no.

Secondly I would have waited for a better time of day, such as sunrise, sunset or dusk. This would shed a more interesting light, given the sky something other than gray clouds, and perhaps if you got up early enough given a nice bit of steam on the lake.

Also worth noting that lakes are at their most still in the early morning, and thus look their best.

Thirdly, a rock, twig, log, jetty, person, or boat in the foreground would help this shot in several ways. It would break it up, it would give the viewer something to draw toward, give the piece a 'point' (which it seems to lack) and also give it some much needed depth.

Finlay, editing - not sure if editing really helps this, I find the samples attached already a little bit too processed, with colors pushed to Alice in Wonderland status. But that's just my tastes, you may like it.