The Master In You: Monthly photo topic (Page 12): Yes on saturation and vibrance but maybe not max, and definitely lots of contrast and highlights and black settings to make it pop...

Craigdca Loc: California

jburlinson wrote:

So, how did you get the Irn Bru effect? I'm guessing boosting the vivid and saturation sliders up to the max and then tinkering with HSL.

Is that close?

Yes on saturation and vibrance but maybe not max, and definitely lots of contrast and highlights and black settings to make it pop with clarity.

The magic is in curves. It happened with a picture of Crows I posted in UHH and now it happened for this. I set the light end for lightness, lowered the middle for contrast, then played with the darks and out popped the strong colors.

This screenshot is a re-creation as I couldn’t bring back the actual.

(Download)

jburlinson Loc: Austin, TX

Craigdca wrote:

The magic is in curves. It happened with a picture of Crows I posted in UHH and now it happened for this. I set the light end for lightness, lowered the middle for contrast, then played with the darks and out popped the strong colors.

This screenshot is a re-creation as I couldn’t bring back the actual.

Cool. I don't often get very aggressive with curves, but you've convinced me to be a little more bold.

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

I have taken very few pictures since this "water" topic got started. I've gone out a few times without much to show for it. These sea gulls flew in near my position on one of those times and with little else going on I snapped a few. This morning I had a better look at them and again noticed how the single drop of water on the gulls bill became a focal point. So, a single drop of water.

(Download)

jburlinson Loc: Austin, TX

fergmark wrote:

I have taken very few pictures since this "water" topic got started. I've gone out a few times without much to show for it. These sea gulls flew in near my position on one of those times and with little else going on I snapped a few. This morning I had a better look at them and again noticed how the single drop of water on the gulls bill became a focal point. So, a single drop of water.

Very fine shot, indeed. I especially like the out-of-focus background. The exif says the aperture was 6.3 -- is that right? If so, it's surprisingly effective.

Amazing how a small detail can transform an image. But, in this case, there's no way the viewer can NOT respond to the droplet.

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

jburlinson wrote:

Very fine shot, indeed. I especially like the out-of-focus background. The exif says the aperture was 6.3 -- is that right? If so, it's surprisingly effective.

Amazing how a small detail can transform an image. But, in this case, there's no way the viewer can NOT respond to the droplet.

An example of something you are completely unaware of, making a shot interesting. At 400mm and distance from the birds maximize the out of focus background. 6.3 is wide open at 400 with this lens.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

fergmark wrote:

I have taken very few pictures since this "water" topic got started. I've gone out a few times without much to show for it. These sea gulls flew in near my position on one of those times and with little else going on I snapped a few. This morning I had a better look at them and again noticed how the single drop of water on the gulls bill became a focal point. So, a single drop of water.

That single drop is indeed a focal point! The dark blurred background is also important because the drop stands out against it.

jburlinson Loc: Austin, TX

fergmark wrote:

An example of something you are completely unaware of, making a shot interesting. At 400mm and distance from the birds maximize the out of focus background. 6.3 is wide open at 400 with this lens.

Of course. Shouldn't be surprising. That shows how little I shoot from a distance.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

fergmark wrote:

I have taken very few pictures since this "water" topic got started. I've gone out a few times without much to show for it. These sea gulls flew in near my position on one of those times and with little else going on I snapped a few. This morning I had a better look at them and again noticed how the single drop of water on the gulls bill became a focal point. So, a single drop of water.

Just a side note: We are picking subjects that are likely to include things that are already in most people's archives. It is always great if folks get the chance to go out an shoot with the topic in mind; but it is unrealistic to think that can happen in all cases. Many of us are simply too busy to make that a reality.

I like your seagull shot. The oof background does a good job of isolating your subject and, of course, once we have landed on that single drop, it is impossible not to see it. Good work.
Erich

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

JD750 wrote:

That single drop is indeed a focal point! The dark blurred background is also important because the drop stands out against it.

Exactly. Some amount of luck involved

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

ebrunner wrote:

Just a side note: We are picking subjects that ar... (show quote)

Thanks. Whenever I looked at this picture my eye was lead to the drop.

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

I had a really enjoyable morning (at the Oceanside beach 6 years ago) paying attention to what was going on with the sand, as each wave washed over it, again and again, leaving a slightly altered pattern and terrain. There were flat areas that appeared to be very three dimensional. After watching for a while, I was able to see varying amounts of darker particles intermingled with the sand particles, and how they, being more buoyant, were being rearranged. Probably some organic material.

(Download)

JD750 Loc: SoCal

fergmark wrote:

Exactly. Some amount of luck involved

Ha ha if you had said you composed it that way for that reason I would have believed you!

I’ll take luck anytime I can! 😀

But you will think about it next time. That is how we learn. We do something and say “I like how that turned out, I should do it again”. Sometimes it goes the other way. ☹️ But that is how we learn.

Any good result is a combination of different amounts of planning, skill, and luck.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

ebrunner wrote:

Just a side note: We are picking subjects that ar... (show quote)

What is an oof background?

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

JD750 wrote:

What is an oof background?

Out of focus.

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

JD750 wrote:

Ha ha if you had said you composed it that way for that reason I would have believed you!

I’ll take luck anytime I can! 😀

But you will think about it next time. That is how we learn. We do something and say “I like how that turned out, I should do it again”. Sometimes it goes the other way. ☹️ But that is how we learn.

Any good result is a combination of different amounts of planning, skill, and luck.

This one was all luck, with the drop. Wasn't aware of it. I do it intensionally when its possible.