Hello from Alabama - Input on Afghanistan photos requested
Aug 22, 2011 16:32:52 #
This is a repost of one I did earlier today - realized I needed to introduce myself... I'm an active underwater photographer with a number of gratifying successes to my credit, most notably First place in the Nature Category of the 2009 National Geographic International Photographic Competition (out of 208,000 entries), a picture I took at 75 feet deep with a point and shoot Sony and an underwater ultrabright video light. Also, the IUCN (Geneva) voted me 2011 Underwater Photographer of the Year. These days I am mostly shooting a Leica D-LUX4 (part of my National Geographic prize) in a 10Bar underwater housing, a Sanyo XACTI 2000 video cam in an Epoque housing and above water the Leica and several Sony P&S cameras. My book on marine sponges was recently accepted by the University of Alabama Press for publication (250 pages, 300+ photos, 50 pages of text) and it will come out near the end of next year. My wife and I have a physical therapy clinic in the Birmingham area and she is also an avid underwater photographer.
Despite a bit of success in underwater photography, I have only recently become interested in extending my work to above water. I decided to begin by reviewing my large collection of 35 mm transparencies I made back in the 1970s with my Canon SLRs when I was teaching in overseas schools with fantastic travel (and photography) opportunities.
Many of my old photos are from Afghanistan - from a time and place that might more properly be called "Pastghanistan" since the tranquility portrayed in these shots has been destroyed by the Russians, Taliban, and Coalition Forces. Unfortunately my 35mm transparencies, mostly Kodachromes, have suffered the ravages of time. The emulsion has become food for some mold, the colors are faded, scratches abound. Therefore I scanned and digitized them, converted to b/w (the color was almost gone), and did a little fix-up with PS4. Here are three examples of the results.
What I would really appreciate is any objective input you U.H.ers would be so kind to offer on how they came out, what else they need done to them, and did my scanning/mold removal process compromise the content? Thank you.
Despite a bit of success in underwater photography, I have only recently become interested in extending my work to above water. I decided to begin by reviewing my large collection of 35 mm transparencies I made back in the 1970s with my Canon SLRs when I was teaching in overseas schools with fantastic travel (and photography) opportunities.
Many of my old photos are from Afghanistan - from a time and place that might more properly be called "Pastghanistan" since the tranquility portrayed in these shots has been destroyed by the Russians, Taliban, and Coalition Forces. Unfortunately my 35mm transparencies, mostly Kodachromes, have suffered the ravages of time. The emulsion has become food for some mold, the colors are faded, scratches abound. Therefore I scanned and digitized them, converted to b/w (the color was almost gone), and did a little fix-up with PS4. Here are three examples of the results.
What I would really appreciate is any objective input you U.H.ers would be so kind to offer on how they came out, what else they need done to them, and did my scanning/mold removal process compromise the content? Thank you.
Father and daughter walking between villages, Tora Bora region, 1972.
Young soldier and school parade, Kandahar, 1972.
Match in hand, Kabul Alley, 1973.
Aug 22, 2011 16:53:06 #
absolutly terrific this is the kind of street candids I admire most. You can keep your ansel adams landscapes, these kind of shots really speak to me. There are alot of kind people here and they are talented but are limited in expierence. If I can make a suggestion go to photographycorner.com and popphot.com and post your same questions. They seem to have more experienced professinals who can answer your technical questions. I am not putting this site down it is fun but you need someone with a lot more expierence than what is found here. Fabolous work. I would love to see more of it :!:
Aug 22, 2011 17:29:20 #
I too, ditto, and the same from me.
These are types of pictures that make me strain to find something that I would have done differently. I feel like such a failure - could not find a thing.
One aspect that I have a very hard time with is black & whites. Do you shoot them that way or in color and convert, if so what method or program do you use. I envy the tonal range.
Sorry - I'm back, just went back to reread your post. I see they were shoot on film which seems to me to always give better blk & whts. Anything to this or am I just makeing a lame excuse?
I would watermark or only load onto these sites at a very low resoution and file size to give you some protection against others using them.
Thanks for sharing.
These are types of pictures that make me strain to find something that I would have done differently. I feel like such a failure - could not find a thing.
One aspect that I have a very hard time with is black & whites. Do you shoot them that way or in color and convert, if so what method or program do you use. I envy the tonal range.
Sorry - I'm back, just went back to reread your post. I see they were shoot on film which seems to me to always give better blk & whts. Anything to this or am I just makeing a lame excuse?
I would watermark or only load onto these sites at a very low resoution and file size to give you some protection against others using them.
Thanks for sharing.
Aug 22, 2011 18:01:12 #
A picture is worth a thousand words they say.....you have upped that 10 fold. They touch my soul, very beautiful indeed.
Aug 22, 2011 18:35:51 #
Changing the photos to black and white really did the trick.
As I always say photographs are a time machine , they take you back to a time that will never be again. Those photos are priceless .We all should take your lead and
restore the past before it's too late . I wish that I had
the photos that I took in Viet Nam .
As I always say photographs are a time machine , they take you back to a time that will never be again. Those photos are priceless .We all should take your lead and
restore the past before it's too late . I wish that I had
the photos that I took in Viet Nam .
Aug 22, 2011 19:20:11 #
coffe steve a big THANK YOU for serving our country and defending our freedoms. You have my gratitude :!:
Aug 23, 2011 08:10:01 #
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