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05/02/2004 01:22:59 PM · #1 |
Thanks! Taken at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk yesterday...
Message edited by author 2004-05-02 13:27:06. |
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05/02/2004 01:39:43 PM · #2 |
| second one is really cute.. it has the 80s kinda look.. but what do i know about 80s. i was just born in 1980.. i think it is a nice picture nevertheless.. |
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05/02/2004 01:50:28 PM · #3 |
| thanks, that's the first picture ive taken with the "sepia" option on the camera itself. i think they turn out better than if you try doin it in ps. but what do i know? |
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05/02/2004 02:00:06 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by theodor38:
second one is really cute.. it has the 80s kinda look.. but what do i know about 80s. i was just born in 1980.. i think it is a nice picture nevertheless.. |
Boy am I feeling old now!
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05/02/2004 02:00:34 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by mattstorrar:
thanks, that's the first picture ive taken with the "sepia" option on the camera itself. i think they turn out better than if you try doin it in ps. but what do i know? |
Yeah, I agree. Plus you can fine tune it. I guess its best to take the photo regular then you can change it any way you like in PS.
I like both the photos. She is adorable. |
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05/02/2004 02:01:12 PM · #6 |
the 2nd one is very nice.
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05/02/2004 03:10:31 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by mattstorrar:
thanks, that's the first picture ive taken with the "sepia" option on the camera itself. i think they turn out better than if you try doin it in ps. but what do i know? |
Actually, you have much more control over how the shot will look if you do it in Photoshop. You can control the tonality of the shot when you turn it into black and white (first step to sepia or duotone as it is properly called). You can do this with channel mixers or using hue/saturation layers with the digidan method (search the forums and you can find a link to this method!) Then you have TONS more control of how the duotone will look by adjusting the colors and curves for each color!
Edited to add: BTW that shot is very nice!
Message edited by author 2004-05-02 15:11:09. |
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05/02/2004 04:03:54 PM · #8 |
If you've seen the two shots I have put into the challenges you'll know that I am not the world's best photographer (yet). And that makes me a great critic, because they talk a lot but never do anything!
Anyhow, the biggest difference between your first and second pics is that with the second one you have provided a frame of reference around the subject. While the subject may be thought of as the most important thing in the picture it is the background that fills out the subject and makes it more interesting and worthwhile. IMHO that is why people have commented on your second pic and not much on the first.
If I might make another suggestion, try using a landscape approach to doing these portraits - that gives you a lot of latitude for including more context with your model(s). It makes the part of a bigger story or scene. Also, consider playing with the way they are facing or moving in the picture. Try putting her to the left, to the right, face her into the picture or out of it and see how that affects the final picture. *
*none of the above comments should result in insult or even in belief that the commenter knows what he is talking about. He, like few million other Americans simply owns a digital camera and enjoys playing with it.THe author of these comments does wwish you the best in all your photographic endeavors though.
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05/02/2004 05:03:02 PM · #9 |
| no offense taken. in fact, all of this advice is appreciated as im just trying to learn. i wouldn't post them here anyway if i was thin-skinned because i know im a novice. everyone that comments on my pictures teaches me something that im very grateful for. thanks! |
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05/02/2004 05:39:32 PM · #10 |
What about this one? |
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05/02/2004 07:20:13 PM · #11 |
| i'd appreciate any takes on using sepia WITH black n white... |
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05/02/2004 07:25:00 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by mattstorrar:
What about this one? |
I like this one better!!
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05/02/2004 08:33:19 PM · #13 |
Personally I prefer the all-sepia version. Partial desaturation can sometimes work well with colour pictures, but I find this combination a bit strange.
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05/02/2004 08:54:54 PM · #14 |
i really like the last one, makes your main subject stand out while capturing a moment in time in the backround
also may be partial in brooklyn now but lived by the sc boardwalk for many years lots of subject matter to play with...use it |
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05/02/2004 10:02:27 PM · #15 |
| thanks everyone for your opinions and advice! |
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05/02/2004 10:42:25 PM · #16 |
I agree with TooCool. WAY more control in PS once you know what you're doing. The only good thing about the cam is that it's consistent and simple. Both of which can be accomplished with a bit of learning in PS.
Digidan's method is a little redundant to me. I made a simple little action that does nice duotones that take about 10 seconds. It basically looks like this:
1. convert to greyscale.
2. convert to duotone (PS has about 100 preloaded ones you can choose from)
simple, huh? :)
I've actually started using quadtones trying to keep up with Alecia's freakishly good tones in all her stuff. they give a little more control, but essentially the same effect.
P
ps the selective desat on the sepia doesn't make any sense to me. I would prefer all one or the other.
Message edited by author 2004-05-02 22:42:50. |
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05/02/2004 11:50:56 PM · #17 |
i really appreciate all the help. and, pedro, thank you for the ps hints, although i knew that one...that's what i meant at the first of this posting. i work with sepia and duotones and quadtones all the time, but i was amazed at the quality that comes straight from the camera. if sepia is what you want and you know it, why bother taking the color shot and converting in ps if the quality is that good?
also, just an opinion, not a put-down, but art isn't always supposed to make "sense". if i want 'sense', i'd go with science, not art...
i think the sepia on the b/w looks the best too, bonz72, and agree that it sets the subject out and gives a totally different, yet eye-catching quality to the background.
again, thanks to EVERYONE for your comments...
Message edited by author 2004-05-02 23:51:46. |
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05/03/2004 12:22:40 AM · #18 |
Originally posted by mattstorrar:
i really appreciate all the help. and, pedro, thank you for the ps hints, although i knew that one...that's what i meant at the first of this posting. i work with sepia and duotones and quadtones all the time, but i was amazed at the quality that comes straight from the camera. if sepia is what you want and you know it, why bother taking the color shot and converting in ps if the quality is that good? |
options and quality. done right i think the PS versions come out much cleaner and you have more control; plus having the option to go colour - if you want - makes PS the only choice for me. but then again - that's just me ;)
Originally posted by mattstorrar:
also, just an opinion, not a put-down, but art isn't always supposed to make "sense". if i want 'sense', i'd go with science, not art...
i think the sepia on the b/w looks the best too, bonz72, and agree that it sets the subject out and gives a totally different, yet eye-catching quality to the background. |
I agree that art is subjective. I don't tend to do very traditional things either. Perfect representations of how things are can be terribly boring.
However what tends to happen on the other side of things is people get gimmicky to be different and 'artistic'. The first time we all saw a red rose on a black and white picture it stood out, right? Now it's on a thousand posters for sale at Wal-Mart.('Red Rose' can be replaced by 'blue eyes', 'red hair', 'green apple', or any number of striking colours against the duo backdrop.) So when I see the sepia on the BW backdrop, it feels like you're being too obvious or something...like hitting me on the head with the frame and saying "HEY! LOOK AT THE GIRL" like I didn't know.
Subtlety is the key in my opinion, and I'll show you an example of what I mean:
Look at this picture (it's not mine, so thanks to Alecia for being so damn good as to provide the perfect example of what i mean). The lighting was really flat that day, so the initial image would have come out with little contrast and/or highlights (I know, cuz I was there, and my shots all came out like that). With a little creative dodging and burning, the subjects really stand out when you take in the image, but you may not even get why because it was done so tactfully. In my mind, the key is to hit the viewer with your message in such a way that they have no idea why it did.
Anyway nothing against your shot at all Matt - you've got a great image of an adorable little girl. But since y'all wuz askin fer opin'yuns, I gave'un.
Peace.
P-ness |
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05/03/2004 12:38:21 AM · #19 |
hey pedro...i totally get what you mean. AND i agree. But lets think on this...
why is it that the rose picture is selling at WalMart in the first place? I mean, let's face it, if it wasn't a cool image, people wouldn't buy it and WalMart, seller of all things overdone, is not going to sell it. Art, like music, is not just subjective, its universal in that all people like SOME sort of art or music. The tricky thing is that some people like one thing, some another, etc etc. But some things speak to more of us than others. What I guess I'm trying to say is that I'd be honored if WalMart wanted to sell the image. Though, maybe the subject might be different (I use my daughter cuz I love her, yes.) But I think the right image, the right background, using the tritone (which is what sepia is, not a duotone as noted by someone above)with the b/w is an option that might speak to different people than the all b/w or the color. I like the effect, which is the subjective part. Nah, man, I respect everything you said because you are tryin' to help someone who needs it badly:) ..and because it was sound advice. I don't like always being a WalMart artist, but I'll take that over no artist any day...lol.
Thanks, man, again. Where's yo s**t, anywayz? How do I check that out?
M |
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05/03/2004 12:43:57 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by mattstorrar:
I don't like always being a WalMart artist, but I'll take that over no artist any day...lol.
Thanks, man, again. Where's yo s**t, anywayz? How do I check that out?
M |
agreed. If Sam wants to pay me to sell photos I'm all over it. I guess I was more thinking of the things that stand the test of time. No big deal really - I have about 1 kabillion pix of my little man that aren't worth anything to anyone but me.
You can find people's portfolios by clicking on their username to view the profile, then the 'recent portfolio additions' link beneath their challenge entries.
P-ness |
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05/03/2004 12:56:14 AM · #21 |
| "The Girls" and "The Look"...those are awesome pictures, man. I like all of em but those two are great. I love big cats. Really cool. Whoever hasn't seen em should go look at Pedro's gallery. |
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