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Am I Blue
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Sep 8, 2019 19:57:28   #
kenievans Loc: Dallas
 
I spent some time with my dad this weekend. He is an old film guy. We drove the backroads in his mule (utility 4 wheeler) and he never once questioned or hesitated when I said "stop". I shot this during the blue hour, hand held, hanging out over the mule. I can forgive the lack of sharpness. I actually like the softness of it. I wanted the blue hour light on everything except the flowers so I worked on pulling those out more. My question is did I go too dark with the background? It may have been that dark at the time but between reality and what looks best I will take what looks best. Your comments are always appreciated.


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Sep 8, 2019 22:00:08   #
artBob Loc: Near Chicago
 
kenievans wrote:
I spent some time with my dad this weekend. He is an old film guy. We drove the backroads in his mule (utility 4 wheeler) and he never once questioned or hesitated when I said "stop". I shot this during the blue hour, hand held, hanging out over the mule. I can forgive the lack of sharpness. I actually like the softness of it. I wanted the blue hour light on everything except the flowers so I worked on pulling those out more. My question is did I go too dark with the background? It may have been that dark at the time but between reality and what looks best I will take what looks best. Your comments are always appreciated.
I spent some time with my dad this weekend. He is... (show quote)

Based on your intent, yes, I think you did pull out the flowers too much. They are SO contrasted that it looks like a graphic design rather than a photo. To get your blue light and contrasty flowers, using Photoshop, I used ACR Auto on color and exposure, then did some desaturation and burning to get the flowers to remain dominant but fitting within their environment.

i really like your idea and the light, and adding to that, the composition is an unusual and somewhat difficult spiral. Cool.


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Sep 8, 2019 22:11:42   #
kenievans Loc: Dallas
 
artBob wrote:
Based on your intent, yes, I think you did pull out the flowers too much. They are SO contrasted that it looks like a graphic design rather than a photo. To get your blue light and contrasty flowers, using Photoshop, I used ACR Auto on color and exposure, then did some desaturation and burning to get the flowers to remain dominant but fitting within their environment.

i really like your idea and the light, and adding to that, the composition is an unusual and somewhat difficult spiral. Cool.
Based on your intent, yes, I think you did pull ou... (show quote)


Thank you so much Bob. I really like what you did. It has the light and color I saw in mind. I didn't see the spiral until I was processing it so I cropped it to bring it out.

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Sep 9, 2019 06:58:51   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 
Too dark for me--the scene looks a little grotesque.

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Sep 9, 2019 07:10:44   #
dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida
 
I always appreciate when photos are posted with a story and details... Commendable indeed.

Answering with my opinion of the questions in quotes by kenievans "I can forgive the lack of sharpness. I actually like the softness of it. "
Too many photographers are compulsive and fall for the still continuing pixel wars well beyond practical need. Composition, story are the keys to great last forever photos.

"I wanted the blue hour light on everything except the flowers so I worked on pulling those out more."
Indeed you did pull them out and ignited them as new stars in a dark sky of green. The contrast and brightness is the message... the suppressed green is a quiet Choir humming.

"My question is did I go too dark with the background? It may have been that dark at the time but between reality and what looks best I will take what looks best."
In my photography of flowers, I use a flash and fast shutter to suppress background lighted by the sun. Afterward, the SOOC is processed with Topaz Clarity to manipulate the tone, saturation, and luminosity of the background vegetation so that the flower colors stand strong and bold.

I follow your work kenievans and find you to be among the quietly creative artists among the UHH "pitcher-takers" who are perhaps not as good with the multi-thousand$ of equipment and My Aunt Sally with her cataracts and Kodak disk camera. Sadly, they have never learned to see.

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Sep 9, 2019 07:40:01   #
Heather Iles Loc: UK, Somerset
 
kenievans wrote:
I spent some time with my dad this weekend. He is an old film guy. We drove the backroads in his mule (utility 4 wheeler) and he never once questioned or hesitated when I said "stop". I shot this during the blue hour, hand held, hanging out over the mule. I can forgive the lack of sharpness. I actually like the softness of it. I wanted the blue hour light on everything except the flowers so I worked on pulling those out more. My question is did I go too dark with the background? It may have been that dark at the time but between reality and what looks best I will take what looks best. Your comments are always appreciated.
I spent some time with my dad this weekend. He is... (show quote)


From your narrative, you have achieved what you set out to achieve.

Perhaps the small flower in the middle could be brightened a little to make it just as prominent as the other flowers. I like the blurred green foliage.

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Sep 9, 2019 08:07:16   #
NJFrank Loc: New Jersey
 
I tend to go to my dark side when I want my flowers to stand out from the background. So I am basically in your camp. To my eye I would bring up the background perhaps a stop or so.
As for it being a bit soft. They are flowers not a building.

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Sep 9, 2019 10:46:46   #
kenievans Loc: Dallas
 
jaymatt wrote:
Too dark for me--the scene looks a little grotesque.


I appreciate you commenting Matt.

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Sep 9, 2019 10:54:06   #
kenievans Loc: Dallas
 
dpullum wrote:
I always appreciate when photos are posted with a story and details... Commendable indeed.

Answering with my opinion of the questions in quotes by kenievans "I can forgive the lack of sharpness. I actually like the softness of it. "
Too many photographers are compulsive and fall for the still continuing pixel wars well beyond practical need. Composition, story are the keys to great last forever photos.

"I wanted the blue hour light on everything except the flowers so I worked on pulling those out more."
Indeed you did pull them out and ignited them as new stars in a dark sky of green. The contrast and brightness is the message... the suppressed green is a quiet Choir humming.

"My question is did I go too dark with the background? It may have been that dark at the time but between reality and what looks best I will take what looks best."
In my photography of flowers, I use a flash and fast shutter to suppress background lighted by the sun. Afterward, the SOOC is processed with Topaz Clarity to manipulate the tone, saturation, and luminosity of the background vegetation so that the flower colors stand strong and bold.

I follow your work kenievans and find you to be among the quietly creative artists among the UHH "pitcher-takers" who are perhaps not as good with the multi-thousand$ of equipment and My Aunt Sally with her cataracts and Kodak disk camera. Sadly, they have never learned to see.
I always appreciate when photos are posted with a ... (show quote)


I appreciate your comments very much. Your creative work is a big part of what inspired me when I first joined UHH. I wanted to be able to do that too.

I have a separate flash for my camera but I never use it. That is one of the things on my learning list, to be able to use it effectively because I don't like a harsh flash. Since almost everything I shoot is outside it hasn't been a priority but I should probably move that up on my list.

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Sep 9, 2019 10:55:00   #
kenievans Loc: Dallas
 
Heather Iles wrote:
From your narrative, you have achieved what you set out to achieve.

Perhaps the small flower in the middle could be brightened a little to make it just as prominent as the other flowers. I like the blurred green foliage.


Thank you Heather. I hesitated on that middle flower since it was so blurred. I will take a look at it again.

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Sep 9, 2019 10:57:55   #
Heather Iles Loc: UK, Somerset
 
Thanks for your response.

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Sep 9, 2019 10:58:01   #
kenievans Loc: Dallas
 
NJFrank wrote:
I tend to go to my dark side when I want my flowers to stand out from the background. So I am basically in your camp. To my eye I would bring up the background perhaps a stop or so.
As for it being a bit soft. They are flowers not a building.


Thanks for the comments Frank. I have really been trying to work on getting sharper photos but you are correct. Not every subject needs to be tack sharp.

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Sep 9, 2019 12:13:05   #
AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!
 
I like this, Keni. I think your combination of darkness and light are both dramatic and pleasing. The dark background has just enough detail to be interesting but not distracting. About the middle flower, I think I would leave it as is. Leaving it darker makes it part of the background, which IMO, it actually is.

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Sep 9, 2019 12:35:19   #
Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona
 
I am afraid I have to go "against the flow" again. I like the original as posted.

It's an interesting situation you find yourself in. You have created and presented a photo that you say does not express your intent, unfortunately, IMHO, it is perfectly crafted and tells its own story regardless of what you want it to say.

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Sep 9, 2019 13:35:55   #
kenievans Loc: Dallas
 
Curmudgeon wrote:
I am afraid I have to go "against the flow" again. I like the original as posted.

It's an interesting situation you find yourself in. You have created and presented a photo that you say does not express your intent, unfortunately, IMHO, it is perfectly crafted and tells its own story regardless of what you want it to say.


That's what happens when you don't have a lot of confidence in your abilities. It's a dichotomy. We are told that opinions are subjective and we should do what we think looks good but as humans we want other people to like what we do as well or at least I do which is one of the reasons why I post here in UHH.

I also found out something very interesting this morning. Someone has adjusted the brightness of my monitor at home. When I looked at the photo on my work monitor my original was not as dark and Bob's version was much lighter than on my home monitor. If every monitor is not set to a standard and we are all not sitting in the perfect light to view them then who knows how the image is going to look to anyone. The only way I can really control how consistently my images are seen is by printing my images but that drastically reduces my audience. I can't believe I am just now figuring all this out considering I originally had issues with my monitor at work when I first got on UHH.

SOLUTION: Put a big red sign above my monitor threatening anyone who dares to make adjustments then doing whatever the heck I want to my photos regardless of what anyone thinks (except for purely technical issues).

Wish me luck with that solution.

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