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01/15/2007 11:26:35 AM · #1126 |
Uhh..about wildlife...they specify non-domesticated animals in a natural setting...so I guess you could do zoos, if shot carefully. I'm wondering about things like deer raised in captivity for human consumption...
Or maybe I could just go shoot my ex-bf, he counts as undomesticated!!!!
BTW my Battle edging up, now 4.2208. |
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01/15/2007 11:27:35 AM · #1127 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
Depends on what you mean by gamma - it is in PS CS2, under Image, Adjustments, Exposure. If that's what you're talking about. And PS is a huge learning curve that never ends. But it's fun! |
Thanks Deb, I found it! When I searched the help files for Gamma, it said that I had to go to Image Ready. That's why I was a little dissappointed in not being able to adjust something like that in CS2. |
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01/15/2007 11:32:57 AM · #1128 |
Thomas is definitely not domesticated. And his natural setting is in my house.
But as much as I'd like to do that, I promise I won't. :-) I can't promise I won't enter the truly sucky motion panning shot, though. If I'm gonna get low 5 and sub 5 scores, I think I ought to at least earn them. |
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01/15/2007 11:40:44 AM · #1129 |
Hi all
One last post...there's a newbie on the site, winkolees, who tends to be not shy about expressing their feelings on a pic, yet he hasn't entered any challenges or have any shots up yet...I pm'd him and he has quite an amazing bg in photography. I suggested that maybe he post more constructive comments (ie he criticized my Song Titles for being 'blurry and dark', fine...but to add 'AWFUL!' too, I objected to and called his bluff. I can post his pm to me if you guys want to see it.
Anyway gotta run, bye all! |
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01/15/2007 11:45:23 AM · #1130 |
Originally posted by Wildcard:
I'd like a mentor too.
But while I'm here can I quietly mention that I got accepted to do a Bachelor of Photography at uni, I'm a bit proud of myself and a lot scared and a little bit stressed about finding a job so I can buy a dSLR in the next 6 weeks...oh well I'll come up with something I'm sure. Oh and mostly I'm so excited that I can't think of anything else :)
Edit to add: I forgot to tell them that I suck. |
way to go. I think that if you believe in yourself and your work then that's all that counts. |
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01/15/2007 11:46:55 AM · #1131 |
| This is a link to the previous wildlife challenge. Lots of birds. |
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01/15/2007 11:52:15 AM · #1132 |
 wildcard a huge congrats on your acceptance to program! Way to go!
I've got to throw in my .02 on the wild animal challenge. I think by natural setting, they mean in the wild. I mean, there are wild animals everywhere. My husband had a squirrel plant a nut in his fifth-story apartment in NY city once. And melethia I at least would consider pigeons wild animals.
Edit to add that there are some photos from the last wildlife challenge taken in the zoo, but top scorers all appear to be from wild - and they include things like seagulls, so not-so-exotic animals should be okay as long as the photo is good!
Message edited by author 2007-01-15 11:55:28. |
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01/15/2007 12:02:24 PM · #1133 |
Originally posted by bmartuch:
Originally posted by Melethia:
Depends on what you mean by gamma - it is in PS CS2, under Image, Adjustments, Exposure. If that's what you're talking about. And PS is a huge learning curve that never ends. But it's fun! |
Thanks Deb, I found it! When I searched the help files for Gamma, it said that I had to go to Image Ready. That's why I was a little dissappointed in not being able to adjust something like that in CS2. |
I use a Spyder2 to calibrate my monitor.
If you want to use the Adobe Gamma Utility these are notes from the Photoshop Help:
To calibrate and profile your monitor
When you calibrate your monitor, you are adjusting it so it conforms to a known specification. Once your monitor is calibrated, the profiling utility lets you save a color profile. The profile describes the color behavior of the monitor—what colors can or cannot be displayed on the monitor and how the numeric color values in an image must be converted so that colors are displayed accurately.
Make sure your monitor has been turned on for at least a half hour. This gives it sufficient time to warm up and produce more consistent output.
Make sure your monitor is displaying thousands of colors or more. Ideally, make sure it is displaying millions of colors or 24-bit or higher.
Remove colorful background patterns on your monitor desktop and set your desktop to display neutral grays. Busy patterns or bright colors surrounding a document interfere with accurate color perception.
Do one of the following to calibrate and profile your monitor:
In Windows, use the Adobe Gamma utility, located in the Control Panel.
In Mac OS, use the Calibrate utility, located in the System Preferences/Displays/Color tab.
For the best results, use third-party software and measuring devices. In general, using a measuring device such as a colorimeter along with software can create more accurate profiles because an instrument can measure the colors displayed on a monitor far more accurately than the human eye.
Note: Monitor performance changes and declines over time; recalibrate and profile your monitor every month or so. If you find it difficult or impossible to calibrate your monitor to a standard, it may be too old and faded.
Most profiling software automatically assigns the new profile as the default monitor profile. For instructions on how to manually assign the monitor profile, refer to the Help system for your operating system.
Message edited by author 2007-01-15 12:44:06. |
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01/15/2007 12:21:07 PM · #1134 |
HI, let me chime in that I need a mentor! I suck the most of team suck. I'm beginning to think that I just don't get it. In fact, I'm about sure of that, especially since the ones that I think are awesome shots usually don't make it to the ribbons. Well, Jeb's did. But that's about it.
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01/15/2007 12:27:22 PM · #1135 |
| Hey, I'm curious... why do you guys want mentors? Do you want better scores or technically better off-beat pictures? |
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01/15/2007 12:33:07 PM · #1136 |
I'd like one (1) top ten. That's all as far as scoring goes.
I'd like to take pictures that are mistaken for e301's. Or jjbeguin's. And that takes better talent and possibly better technicals, but mostly just better talent. |
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01/15/2007 12:37:14 PM · #1137 |
Originally posted by Melethia:
I'd like one (1) top ten. That's all as far as scoring goes.
I'd like to take pictures that are mistaken for e301's. Or jjbeguin's. And that takes better talent and possibly better technicals, but mostly just better talent. |
Haha, I had to check - couldn't believe with a profile of high scores like yours you didn't have a top 10... and well.. you do have 2 top 11's and a whole bunch of top 20's... :D
Anyway, the e301 & jj rationale makes sense. Me too! |
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01/15/2007 12:51:48 PM · #1138 |
Originally posted by snaffles:
Hi all
One last post...there's a newbie on the site, winkolees, who tends to be not shy about expressing their feelings on a pic, yet he hasn't entered any challenges or have any shots up yet...I pm'd him and he has quite an amazing bg in photography. I suggested that maybe he post more constructive comments (ie he criticized my Song Titles for being 'blurry and dark', fine...but to add 'AWFUL!' too, I objected to and called his bluff. I can post his pm to me if you guys want to see it.
Anyway gotta run, bye all! |
I would not post a PM in the forums. Private messages are meant for discussions between the correspondents. |
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01/15/2007 01:16:54 PM · #1139 |
Originally posted by quiet_observation:
I would not post a PM in the forums. Private messages are meant for discussions between the correspondents. |
Furthermore, I believe it says not to call out comments you don't like.
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01/15/2007 01:20:41 PM · #1140 |
Bob, I recommend learning the following in Photoshop. But before you do any of them, learn how to use and manipulate layers (if PSP has those, just dive in):
Editing with adjustment layers:
Brightness/Contrast
Levels
Curves
Selective color (esp. to darken blacks)
Editing actual picture information, so it's non-reversable (ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS edit a copy of the relevant layer, not the original):
Sharpening
Noise reduction
Cloning
Making selections to limit the effects of editing to specific areas
Layer masks
Quick mask
I'd say 98% of everything I do is within that limited set of skills. There are a million pages on the Web about all of them. Just search Google for "photoshop X" where X is the particular skill.
Now, here's one of the most useful tips I've gotten here (this came from  scalvert): to get rid of a color cast and adjust contrast, open either a levels or curves adjustment layer. Then:
1) Select the white eyedropper (on the right) and click on the whitest area you can find in the image
2) Select the black eyedropped (on the left) and click on the darkest area you can find in your image
3) Select the midrange eyedropped (in the middle) and click on something that should be gray in the image. Dark, light, doesn't matter - the key is to get something that should have equal values for red, green, and blue.
Message edited by author 2007-01-15 13:26:18.
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01/15/2007 02:58:19 PM · #1141 |
Jeffrey, thanks for the help. Most of the items that you mentioned were also in PSP so I am somewhat familiar with them. The problem is finding where most of them are located.
I noticed that the clone tool doesn't seem as easy to use in PS. In PSP, many of the times, you could just clone something and didn't need to blend it afterwards. Maybe I just don't know the proper technique yet.
Another thing that you mentioned is with layers. I've heard this many times before also. Always make the changes to layers so you don't affect the actual picture. What difference does it make? When I edit a photo, I generally don't use layers. When I'm done editing, I save it under a different name so that I don't affect the original. Maybe there's just something that I don't know about.
I know I have a ton to learn about this and I'm sure it will be a never ending process like melethia said. |
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01/15/2007 03:00:44 PM · #1142 |
| Hey noraneko, did you just have a birthday? |
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01/15/2007 03:03:55 PM · #1143 |
Originally posted by bmartuch:
I noticed that the clone tool doesn't seem as easy to use in PS. In PSP, many of the times, you could just clone something and didn't need to blend it afterwards. Maybe I just don't know the proper technique yet. |
I'm not sure about PS, but in elements the Healing brush and Spot healing brush both blend to the surroundings (a lot better than PSP). |
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01/15/2007 03:20:08 PM · #1144 |
| With the clone tool, you can also set it to normal, lighten, darken, etc. So if you have a dark spot you just want to be the same as the pixels next to it, select lighten - it will only affect the dark spot. All that being said, I have not very good luck cloning and healing - maybe it's because I know it's there. |
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01/15/2007 04:12:12 PM · #1145 |
Originally posted by bmartuch:
Hey noraneko, did you just have a birthday? |
Bob, thanks for noticing! It is today, actually, and I celebrated by going on a wildlife shoot (here is SC that entails herons, alligators, pelicans and turtles). I'll leave the rednecks out of it :-) I'm just about to view my files so we'll see if I have anything good for the challenge. |
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01/15/2007 04:16:43 PM · #1146 |
Originally posted by noraneko:
Originally posted by bmartuch:
Hey noraneko, did you just have a birthday? |
Bob, thanks for noticing! It is today, actually, and I celebrated by going on a wildlife shoot (here is SC that entails herons, alligators, pelicans and turtles). I'll leave the rednecks out of it :-) I'm just about to view my files so we'll see if I have anything good for the challenge. |
Happy birthday!!! Hope you enjoy it and hope you have some nice shots. |
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01/15/2007 04:17:25 PM · #1147 |
Originally posted by noraneko:
Originally posted by bmartuch:
Hey noraneko, did you just have a birthday? |
Bob, thanks for noticing! It is today, actually, and I celebrated by going on a wildlife shoot (here is SC that entails herons, alligators, pelicans and turtles). I'll leave the rednecks out of it :-) I'm just about to view my files so we'll see if I have anything good for the challenge. |
Hope you get some good photos for your birthday! |
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01/15/2007 04:20:23 PM · #1148 |
Happy Birthday Noraneko!
I really don't think you need any luck where wildlife is concerned! Your pics are great, pleased don't enter Wildlife challenge! Please. |
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01/15/2007 04:39:34 PM · #1149 |
Originally posted by sodoff:
Happy Birthday Noraneko!
I really don't think you need any luck where wildlife is concerned! Your pics are great, pleased don't enter Wildlife challenge! Please. |
LOL :-) Wildlife is my fave type of photography, but I don't think the "big boys (and girls) have anything to be concerned about.
By the way, I got a great birthday present: two really nice comments on my Best of 2006 entry from fellow Suck teammates! |
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01/15/2007 04:46:30 PM · #1150 |
Originally posted by skewsme:
Hey, I'm curious... why do you guys want mentors? Do you want better scores or technically better off-beat pictures? |
I'm pretty much of the opinion that what I wanted, I got, from a mentor.
He cajoled and challenged me to be the best I can be by helping me with basics, tips/techniques, and mostly, support.
He really didn't do much more than the little stuff in real world terms, but what he did was force me to quit being insecure and concentrating on the negative aspects of what I was doing.
And he always tells me the truth, too, even if I don't want to hear it......I usually get over it and learn something when he offers some criticism. And he's usually right, dammit!
Where am I going with this you say?
I have some new mentors!
And you guys are right here! Look at the Side Challenges and Tournaments main page stats.....The Untouchables, Femme Fatale, and Team Suck.....those are the threads where the teams really get together and talk, help, make forward progress, and share their fun with this stuff......posts and views in the thousands!
What's an OOBIE?? A Yappie??
This is recognition in the community that actually means something, and not just to us, but the rest of the people at DPC as well! How cool is that? This is serious stuff and yet we have way more than the allotted amount of fun! And we're making a difference by establishing some decency. Team Suck has a reputation for having *nice* people!
There are good photographers here! And we love our work. Yeah, there are some phenomenoms here at DPC, but not everybody can be Joey Lawrence, either.....there's only one Michael Jordan, Paul Newman, and those once in a lifetime folks in the outside world, and then there are the rest of us who are just plain good at what we do because we love it.....and always will.
BTW, that truck pic? I busted my ass revamping that title and working it 'til I got something OOB, yet not too clever, simple yet comprehensive, and was prepared for the fact that a title-driven entry may not necessarily fare well.
It worked, too, didn't it?
You guys remember that, don'tcha?
You totally made that title happen for me by telling me what to do, not do, and to keep my expectations realistic.....which helped me be that much more blown away when I ribboned. And when I didn't even want to think about it, you told me the trend would put me in high standing.
And now I have the distinct advantage of having more than just one other point of view, not to mention experience ranging in age, gender, culture, and geography aspects as well.
I get my learning wherever I go because I'm smart enough to see when there's knowledge to be had.....and there's a sh*tload of it here!
And who knows, maybe I'll even shed some light on something for the next newbie to come along.
I'm feeling pretty good about my wildlife entry......it's not an instant classic like my truck, but I think it's solid. Now I have to work some magic on it with CS2. Fortunately, it's something I don't have to have a catchy title for......thank goodness!
And I know, good or bad, it'll be fun and the points fall where they may.
I'm dealing with the disappointmnet of my B&W entry scoring well because I'm looking forward to the discussion afterwards where you guys will tell me how I went wrong and what an idiot I was to try my entry.....but nicely so I don't feel badly. We'll laugh about it and I'll move on. And you'll help me not make the same mistake again. If I didn't feel that way, I'd be feeling a whole bunch of resentment towards a whole bunch of voters. Now, I'm just kind of fascinated at the reaction I'm getting whilst being surprised.
Later......I'm off to a local camera club meeting where a photography teacher from the area college is speaking. Maybe I'll learn something there, too!
Okay.....the soapbox is starting to sag....thanx!
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