Wahooooooooooooooo...........finally I got it back. I really had trouble trying to figure out what the voters both wanted and would accept in expert editing.
Just to let you know my idea behind this image was pretty simple. We all have limitations. This image shows a man striving to reach his goals...and seeing the rain and golden rays of hope...the mountains of coolness...it is all there, so close...yet so far. He travels over cracked earth...the harshness of the environment around him...yet the temptation is right there in front of him. But his body has limits...as does his mind. His body goes before his mental state. His mind wills his body to keep going...but he can't do it. He has limits...as like us all.
I totally agree about the floating man....it bugged me from word go. But I was too stuffed to keep working on it. So I let it run...hoping no one would recognise it as my image...and thankfully...no one did.
So thanks again everyone....you all rock!! Even the ones who gave me the ones and twos without leaving comments!!!!
For the record...the photo of the man was taken on Christmas Day. He posed for it...he wasn't drunk...lmao!! The hills were photographed at about 5-30am (I think) on Boxing Day at sunrise with the rain above them and the foreboding sky. The sunrays were photographed about 30 minutes later with the same sky but about 20 kms from the sunrise shot. The dirt was photographed about an hour later and was actually a tiny bit of earth surrounded by grasses.
Here are the small sized originals and steps for processing.
A total of 5 images was used for this image. I joined the two dirt images together with masking and changing the hue and contrast to blend. I then brought in the mountains and duplicated, flipped and blended to reach across the image and then merged and blended that area into the dirt. The sky was brought in to meet up with the other sky and the rays blended into the surrounding sky and mountains. The man was then added and sized accordingly. His surrounds were masked out.
His leg and foot were rearranged to be more realistic. Then through a series of adjustment layers, Liquefy on the Mountains to straighten them, Highlight/Shadow, Levels, Curves, Brightness/Contrast, Selected Colour, Colour Balance, Hue & Saturation, Neat Image on the clouds, Dodge and Burn Layers, Gradient Map and Colour Fill (to alter the hue overall) the final result was achieved. Total - 9 sets, 69 layers.
Statistics
Place: 2 out of 116 Avg (all users): 7.0617 Avg (commenters): 7.8182 Avg (participants): 6.5574 Avg (non-participants): 7.2470 Views since voting: 12198 Views during voting: 566 Votes: 227 Comments: 107 Favorites: 17 (view)
Another amazing work of art Judi. What I truly enjoy about your body of work is the thought and energy that goes into preparing, creating and producing each one.
Judi, Judi, Judi!!! what an amazing image, just added to my faves...thought this might win and gave you 10...thanks for sharing how you took it and how you did a masterful editing job
Fabulous shot, well thought out and exectued. One question:
What do you think led to the "floating" look of the man? When I first saw it I really thought it was a bit of a lighting issue- ie standing out a bit much compared to the rest of the scene or maybe lack of shadows. But after looking at it more I think it might be a sense of scale. He seems almost a little too big for the overall shot.
Ok...it was a combination of things. On Xmas Day we had clouds...I knew what scene I wanted so I had to wait for the right lighting, no direct glare....in other words...the sun to go behind a cloud. Well late afternoon that finally happened...but my model had decided to go and take a nap. So after trying to locate his wife (who was asleep in another house), she then came to wake him up...then he wasn't dressed properly...so by the time he finally got his act together...the sun came out...I had no choice but to run with it. So that factor was taken into account. The other was yes...his scale was all wrong and has heaps of room for improvment...but as I said...I was tired and just let it run as it was. But it led for good discussion...which helps everyone.
Fabulous shot, well thought out and exectued. One question:
What do you think led to the "floating" look of the man? When I first saw it I really thought it was a bit of a lighting issue- ie standing out a bit much compared to the rest of the scene or maybe lack of shadows. But after looking at it more I think it might be a sense of scale. He seems almost a little too big for the overall shot.
Jaysus, you went all out on this one didn't you? And to think all *I* did for my red ribbon in the first expert challenge was draw a few birds :-) The bar's definitely being raised. Congrats on your trip back to the winner's circle!
Yes, Judi I realy loved this one, and so pleased it ribboned for you.
Top composition, top processing, and I love it a lot.....
I have come back, to add it to my favorites.....
That is an awesome photo. Very dramatic and well executed. The fact that it received 4s, 5s, and 6s from some voters demonstrates that fact that there are a lot of ninkomp-poops on dpchallege.
Well this is nice, I almost want to guess this is Gary´s work but processing not quite up to his usual level so if it is your´s, you got a little sloppy this time. Mainly the shadows and burning around the man give it away and the "a little over the top" sky and sunlight also not quite 100% to my taste. I still like this image a lot and gave it a 7 so don´t get me wrong and if this isn´t Gary, then at least I compared you to Kiwiness and that can´t be all bad :)
Beautiful shot, one of my favorites in the challengs. From the ground to the sky its all right there. Lighting, contrast, and clarity are incredible, nice work.
Very dramatic, and excellent body position leading/pointing to the light. The boiling sky helps a lot too to contribute to the threatening theme, though the top half seems to speak of rain and moisture and the bottom drought/ thirst
I don't truly feel that your subject is lying on this surface. That said I don't beleave that is an over factor, I am voting expert editing more on an art bacis. The title is good and it fits the challenge. The sky is wonderful and the position of the subject gives and over all feeling of dispare, nice touch of the bare feet and dirt on subject. I like the darkness and the movement of the storm. Over all 9
I think this is a fabulous photo, but I have to question the logic...I mean, it's obvious that those are storm clouds, and yet this person is lying on parched land that obviously hasn't seen rain in forever. I would think the storm clouds--usually an ominous sign--would here represent hope instead of desolation. I'd love to hear more about the story behind this photo. The incongruity is intriguing--but don't worry, I'm not letting THAT affect my rating.
I love the sky of this image with the menacing clouds and rays of sunlight... but the body, whilst well posed, just doesn't seem to belong to the landscape - it's like it's floating above the earth rather than lying on it.
The person looks pasted on, and probally is. I think the problem is that the person should be smaller, i geuss the perspective was different in each photo.
Well, I rarely vote in challenges I participate in and I'm not breaking my rule this time around. For this picture I wish I were...I'd give your photo a 10. I'm sure you must have used multiple photos but you've done a great job at hiding it. Good luck to ya!
I love this idea,and the colour tones and the composition. In terms of processing though, the body seems to me floating a few inches off the ground which is "unsettling" (no pun intended).
Limits
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
to match your hair!
