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Soaring on Wings of Silver
3rd PlaceSoaring on Wings of Silver
scalvert


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Dreams II (Basic Editing)
Collection: Favorites - Ribbons
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Location: Easton, CT
Date: Jul 10, 2007
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/160
Galleries: Black and White, Studio
Date Uploaded: Jul 10, 2007

I wasn't planning to shoot any more this week since I already had good scores in two challenges, but the idea was too cute to pass up. I went out and bought satin sheets for the silky contrast and set this one up just before the deadline. Originally, the top sheet was flat, and I was going to use the wrinkles to "draw" a scene with clouds and everything (which is why I hadn't ironed the bottom sheet). It was taking way too long, though, so I scrapped that idea and just shaped the sheet around her.

I had to work fast because it's difficult to hold perfectly still for very long (I had a TV on in front of her as a distraction). Nothing tricky with the setup: shape the sheet into wings and make the bottom look like it's flowing, then brush the hair back to match. A single monolight with 60" shoot-through umbrella was placed high at top left for soft, diffused light. I had my wife and other daughter pulling the edges of the bottom sheet to reduce wrinkles, but it was hopeless. If it wasn't so close to the deadline, I would have put more detail into the shapes... and maybe remembered that the kids have some sheets with clouds printed on them. Doh!

Processing: Levels, Curves, Channel Mixer conversion to B&W, slight toning in HSL. As a final step, I sharpened with USM, then applied a large radius Gaussian Blur and faded it back to give the image a little bit of dreamy soft focus.

Statistics
Place: 3 out of 182
Avg (all users): 7.4390
Avg (commenters): 8.7632
Avg (participants): 7.0357
Avg (non-participants): 7.5906
Views since voting: 14245
Views during voting: 585
Votes: 205
Comments: 108
Favorites: 52 (view)


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AuthorThread
03/09/2015 06:57:28 PM
You annoy the hell out of me in the forums sometimes, but there is no denying your talents. This has long been one of my favorites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/09/2015 03:56:16 PM
the strange energy of sleep and flight.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/16/2008 01:32:07 PM
What a freaking GORGEOUS image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/19/2007 12:49:29 PM
Beautfiful image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/19/2007 03:06:42 AM
beatiful shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/22/2007 08:46:59 PM
Great idea and well done! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/21/2007 06:01:14 PM
Sweet!!!! Great idea, and good work for your daughter to be keeping still for you to get this wonderful result. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/20/2007 11:55:04 PM
This is beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/20/2007 10:15:55 PM
I really like the shot. It gains with the look of the actualy sheets in some way, making it look more like a found image rather then a carefully designed one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/20/2007 05:02:30 PM
amazing work..wow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/19/2007 04:01:59 PM
This is a brilliant piece of work.
I would love to be inside your mind for just one day....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/19/2007 03:18:35 PM
Congratulations on your ribbon. Despite your concerns over the details, I think this is a stunning shot with the ribbon well deserved. Your artistry with use of the sheets is simply amazing. The silver tone works perfectly for this. It's incredible what you can do pull off at the last minute.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/19/2007 01:02:55 PM
this is interesting and different shannon, from the thumb it looks
like she's vacuum packed.
con g r a t u lati ons.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/19/2007 11:39:22 AM
ah, another lovely and imaginative shot, Shannon. Go Ribbon Hawgs!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/19/2007 10:22:30 AM
This is probably one of the coolest images on the site - and the conecept is so simple yet beautiful - the motion "wind" type feel is great. ANotehr fantastic idea. Your monarchy continues at DPC ;P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/19/2007 08:58:52 AM
Congrats I love how silky it looks. just comforting and warm and perfect.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 11:21:06 PM
lovely. there's a strange mix here of flying and being trapped at the same time. I gave this a 7 for that reason.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 07:04:53 PM
WONDERFUL photo and well deserved ribbon !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 04:51:43 PM
Amazing piece of graphical art. Absolutely love this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 02:30:52 PM
Dude!! You are SMOKIN' hot right now!! Great work. Something seems a bit different about your shots lately, to me anyway. Maybe they just appeal more to my tastes? Whatever it is....great job (as usual!).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 02:30:04 PM
This is amazing! Absolutely beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 02:03:16 PM
Gorgeous and very Imaginative.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 01:55:22 PM
Congratulations on your well-deserved ribbon; it is a great shot, and the explanation of your setup was very helpful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 01:30:36 PM
it must be a new record to have 3 ribbons within one week. You are in your own league now, kinda like Roger Federer of DPC. Congrats!

edit: just found this thread. So I am not the only one who noticed that record. Duh!

Message edited by author 2007-07-18 13:34:16.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 01:21:02 PM
Congrats on making it to the finals of DPL. You produced some great pictures this week. I think this was my favorite of them. It looks like it's embossed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 01:15:23 PM
Super-cool. It reminds me of a frieze.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:10:19 PM
Congratulations! It really does look silvery, wow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 11:57:05 AM
A truly great image. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 11:14:23 AM
Didn't vote but I thought this was yours. I'm glad this placed so well. Was one of my favorites. The shot in concept and in appearance is ethereal.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 10:59:45 AM
This one gave me goosebumps!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 10:54:43 AM
The tonalities on this are breathtakingly lovely. In many ways I think this is the best shot of yours I have ever seen from a purely photographic standpoint. Lots of times you get ribbons with fantastic concepts and workmanlike execution, but this time the execution is absolutely superior. Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 10:38:11 AM
I must sound like a broken record since I use the word "creative" every time I comment on one of your photos. But seeing how it's mainly your fault, I'm forgiven. ;-)

Another very creative photo...congratulations on winning the yellow ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 10:20:33 AM
Naaa! You just wanted a set a satin sheets, right?? Very nice. Congrats on your ribbon. Tell your beautiful daughter that she did good!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 09:18:47 AM
Very cute! Boy, you are on a VERY HOT ROLL! Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 09:14:09 AM
Hey, Shannon. Great job. This one really stands out. I'm glad you didn't remember that your kids have sheets with clouds on them. This is perfect the way it is.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 09:01:25 AM
Not again ;);) you know I think we should change the site name from DPChallenge to ShannonsCreativity ;);) way to go Shannon !!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 08:49:54 AM
Getting tired of seeing your name, but not your great photos.
Where do you get all your ideas from. Genius.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 08:17:23 AM
WOW, perfect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 08:09:15 AM
i was trying to see what could be improved on this photo but ... no.
i found nothing :-)
congratz again, awesome ...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 07:43:29 AM
Teheeeeeeeee, Congratulations again you ribbon hog!! Excellent Job!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 07:34:15 AM
and that's 40

well done, shannon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 05:49:30 AM
What a great HATRICK dude... blimey mate, leave some ribbons for me Ill be back next week and there wont be any left....

Seriously though... what can one say?. excellent run of very good photography, let's see you do it again (joke)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 03:26:33 AM
Absolutely perfect image! and certainly a proof to your throne, king Scalvert!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 03:08:17 AM
Aarghh Shannon, can you please go on a vacation for some time (i.e. years)? Congrats on another very well deserved ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 02:55:44 AM
A lovely image Congrats on your Ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 01:55:01 AM
enough now!! ;)

congrats Mr. Lean Mean Ribbonmachine!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 01:05:46 AM
Congratulations, you are a mad genius, as stated below, and have a nice family to assist you. Great concept and results. It really bothers me not seeing the end of the tail to the right. It reminds me of a wedding gown train, cut off.

So do we all dream of Fying and Angels? All top three seem to.

Message edited by author 2007-07-18 01:11:05.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 01:03:38 AM
This is an excellent entry and well shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:56:02 AM
I love the silvery effect the satin sheets give. A perfect scene. Congrats on 3rd place, Shannon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:44:09 AM
I'll make a web site suggestion for rules modification:
Allowing photoshopping wrinkles out of sheets in basic editing we shall.

Congrats, Shannon. Very nice, and simple, yet effective (obviously).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:28:00 AM
So your name is listed more times on the front page than DPChallenge. Maybe the url should change. I guess it begs the question has anybody had 4 ribbons on the front page at one time? Unreal.

Btw, is that a plotter print she's laying on or is that an actual sheet? :P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:18:35 AM
congrats on your win.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:14:31 AM
Dude you are a mad genius! Therefore... you should be banned from competition!

Awesome shot! Great idea & execution as usual. Gotta say man, you never dissappoint!

Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:07:15 AM
I didn't vote in this challenge, but this one absolutely stuck out for me. While I may disagree with some of your strong opinions, this is just beautiful and dreamy. Fantastically done. ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:07:04 AM
Congrats on 3rd ;), and remember, no ribbons next week, ok?...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:05:51 AM
seriosly, your going to have a mob after you if you keep this up. Congrats on the beautiful image, and ANOTHER ribbon (3 in a row!?!??!!!?!?) and im so jealous of you.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/18/2007 12:04:05 AM
re: wrinkles -
I originally voted a 9, and it would have been 10 if not for the wrinkles. But at the last minute I bumped it to a 10 because I realized that the wrinkles made it look more "real"...
Wrinkles on a portrait backdrop are bad, because the attention isn't supposed to be on the backdrop.. but I think in this case it looks more like a real bed, and it made me think of an ordinarry little girl who just happens to be asleep dreaming, and the wings and dress came about in her dream. Awesome. :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/17/2007 11:22:02 PM
nice concept - a little more effort to soften the bed beneath would have brought the image even further.

<< 7 >>
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/17/2007 08:19:53 PM
Very, very nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/17/2007 05:21:34 PM
Pretty arrangement. Very dreamy.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/17/2007 09:42:14 AM
Very well composed picture!! It really flows. I can almost see movement!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/17/2007 07:46:51 AM
Out of all the dream entries I've seen thus far, this one actually makes me feel like I am in a dream. Beautiful, innocent, and magical. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/17/2007 03:55:48 AM
Very nice picture! I love the girl's dress flowing around her like an angel combined with the soft white light that the cloth seems to radiate.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/16/2007 11:15:27 AM
This is just fantastic. Seriously, I love this picture... I plan on stealing your idea and doing on with my oldest daughter. If I could give you a 20 I would. I really hope this ribbons and I really wish this had been a advanced editing challenge for you... I know those wrinkles have to be driving you mad! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2007 10:10:19 PM
Wow nice one very unique!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2007 06:45:16 PM
Amazing idea! Hope it will ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2007 01:13:06 PM
this is so excellent!!! *nice shot!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2007 07:20:52 AM
From what I've seen so far - you got the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/15/2007 02:05:12 AM
What a beautiful photograph! The lighting is marvelous, and the layout of the sheet - what a terrific idea!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2007 08:12:16 PM
Blue ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2007 03:00:06 PM
Clever idea that is well executed & beautifully photographed. Fits the theme well. Were you flying yourself?? Have you tried it with a little less highlight above and left of her head--perhaps a little on her face?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2007 02:54:35 PM
Creative idea! Nice capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/14/2007 08:35:42 AM
Very creative! 9 from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2007 08:09:30 PM
Nicely done. If you would please, what did you use for lighting?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2007 12:48:19 PM
How pretty. I bet she had so much fun being in this picture. She looks like such the beautiful, dreamy princess.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2007 09:38:12 AM
very creative! When I saw this I thought of the country music video by faith hill, "Breathe". 10 IMO

Mandy's daughter shelby?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/13/2007 08:46:35 AM
one of my few favs for this challenge. fabulous idea and perfect execution, 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2007 10:08:20 PM
Finally, something creative, beautiful and fits the challenge!!!

Come to think of it I believe this is Scalvert's photo, I shouldn't be surprised. I will be surprised if this doesn't win blue, it certainly deserves it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2007 06:37:59 PM
very nice picture, very angelic!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2007 06:05:13 PM
wow just a stunning image. great idea, fits the challenge perfectly. Excelent execution!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2007 10:02:10 AM
A wonderful idea so beautifully presented
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2007 09:55:34 AM
What a great photo...I like it very much i give 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2007 03:05:01 AM
placid, soft and delicate. Very good. B & W was an excellent election
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/12/2007 01:32:31 AM
Clever.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 09:01:27 PM
nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 06:23:32 PM
this is really pretty
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 05:59:59 PM
Stunning, this is conveys it perfectly
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 04:56:16 PM
great capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 04:54:01 PM
Wow... i like the idea! Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 04:49:10 PM
Great looking dreamy picture, superb pose. Shame about the creases in the background sheet.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 04:23:32 PM
Nice photo. I like the framing. You know this would look good as a selective desaturation.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 04:21:07 PM
Perfect 10. Most of the photos in the contest had little or nothing to do with the challenge...except tying 'dream' into the name ("I dream of trees", "I dream of water","I dream of bugs on flowers","I coincidentally dream of fireworks around the Fourth of July", etc...) Something creative like this is what I believe they had in mind when they came up with the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 03:49:42 PM
ok ok , lets all just acknowledge right now that this will get the blue....outstanding concept and execution! 10 and a fav
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 03:07:32 PM
wow, beautiful! 10 points! love it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 12:08:59 PM
This is my favorite of the challenge. Its very 3d
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 11:25:12 AM
beautiful photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 10:57:45 AM
What a good idea. I love the white on white. The creases in the sheet look like something out of an old painting. Overall I think this is fantastic, actually.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 09:51:42 AM
Lovely
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 08:30:10 AM
simly beautiful. serene and full of heart.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 07:41:39 AM
Some of the shots you look and just know its a 10 .. simply superb!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 07:36:50 AM
Nice shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 06:09:48 AM
stunning...it's images like this that make me wish the allowance was for 720 pixels instead of 640 as your frame really suits this but diminishes the size of the image itself...not to worry...10 from me
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 03:44:21 AM
Beautiful, like an angel.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 03:06:55 AM
Fantastic!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 02:41:07 AM
THIS IS ADORABLE. GREAT IMAGINATION.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 12:48:37 AM
Great idea. I really like this. Well executed too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 12:32:19 AM
Beautiful!! I see a winner here. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
07/11/2007 12:19:01 AM
aww very pretty!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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