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10/12/2006 02:21:02 PM · #1 |
There is a local camera shop that is having a photo contest for any pictures taken at a recent festival called Tall Stacks where all the big steam riverboats get together on the Ohio River and include lots of other shows and festivities. There are some pretty good prizes up for grabs. Just wanted to get some opinions on one I am going to enter. Thanks.
I also have a version with a darker vignette and one without a vignette. |
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10/12/2006 02:31:44 PM · #2 |
For me personally I would prefer burning the edges darker rather than lighter, or if at all... The light shaded parts actually pull my eye to them not the photo. I think darker would pull your eye to the subject. Great composition however. I am not sure, but you might want to get into the brown tones as opposed to bw? Maybe maybe not. Good luck.
Message edited by author 2006-10-12 14:32:48. |
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10/12/2006 02:34:12 PM · #3 |
| thanks for the thoughts. I will put up the version with no vignette and also do one with more browns |
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10/12/2006 02:39:39 PM · #4 |
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10/12/2006 02:42:02 PM · #5 |
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10/12/2006 02:51:52 PM · #6 |
Overall, nicely done. Given the theme, B&W is an excellent choice. Including costume models also works well. Having the riverboats for their background works. Your composition is good.
Though you might consider a wider white vignette with a narrower transition, I tend to agree with Boomtap that black is more esthetic and more authentic to cameras of that age.
You might also consider sepia with this image given the time period.
Though the contrast is a little weak that may actually be better for a time period image like this. But if I were you I'd do a standard autocontrast adjustment to see how you feel about it.
Depending on the rules I would replace the foreground dock area completely with either cloned water or water from another image. The dock is not all that interesting and acts as a distraction to the viewer.
Another possibility to consider is a tighter crop. Include less of the botton to reduce the dock's distraction and trim out the stearnwheel of the background. Crop closer to the lady on the right to maintain off center placement of your models. You might not want to give up the wheel in the background but it makes for a cleaner, simpler composition.
Message edited by author 2006-10-12 15:03:59.
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10/12/2006 02:52:41 PM · #7 |
here is more sepia and no vignette.
thanks for the thoughts Barry. Actually, the contest is just to include anything that relates with the festival. I think the majority of contestants will submit pics of just the boats. I think having the people AND the boats in the pic will give me an edge.
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10/12/2006 02:54:57 PM · #8 |
| and thank you as well Steve. I will try those ideas. |
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10/12/2006 03:03:58 PM · #9 |
here is more contrast |
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10/12/2006 03:09:29 PM · #10 |
| any votes on which one is more contest ready? Any other thoughts? |
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10/12/2006 03:16:07 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by Nikonian Ninja:
any votes on which one is more contest ready? Any other thoughts? |
I think you're correct in the people vs non-people approach. As for the contrast boost (new image posted), this monitor here at work is not calibrated and makes it difficult on contrast issues...from here it looks like the image with the contrast boost is now too much. :(
Need some viewers with correct monitors to weigh in on this. |
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10/12/2006 03:52:33 PM · #12 |
Yeah, I think the one with the upped contrast it just a tad too contrast-y.....I totally just made that word up.
It makes the people look just a little bit fake. For me, personally, I like the sepia tones. I think the B&W looks very nice too though. Maybe decide if you want it to look like an old fashioned photograph or not. I always think of the old photos in sepia colors as opposed to B&W. |
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10/12/2006 03:57:41 PM · #13 |
| thats cool. I think I like the sepia also. I was thinking about adding noise to it, but didn't think that would go over well with some judges. |
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10/12/2006 03:58:00 PM · #14 |
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10/12/2006 04:03:19 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by renefunk:
left a comment :) |
so, in your opinion, the third pic I posted with more contrast, how do the faces and clothes look there? I can always mask the rest of it. |
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10/12/2006 04:04:12 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by Nikonian Ninja:
here is more contrast |
You should maybe go for a middleground between this one and the lower contrast version. The increased contrast on the boat looks like it has blown the highlights, though my monitor isn't calibrated. Personally I wouldn't go with a sepia, but rather a pure B&W. Maybe burn the water a bit, as it is a bit bright. |
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10/12/2006 04:09:02 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by Nikonian Ninja:
Originally posted by renefunk:
left a comment :) |
so, in your opinion, the third pic I posted with more contrast, how do the faces and clothes look there? I can always mask the rest of it. |
try a little dodge and burn in the clothes. i think that can improve contrast there especially in the dark clothes try to light the lights a little more
Message edited by author 2006-10-12 16:09:35.
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