The Master In You: Topic for August - Less Than Pristine (Page 5): My camera, a Nikon D850, takes the images as directed via the menu, and puts them in a folder. I choose the ones...

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

ebrunner wrote:

Does your camera stack the photos in camera or do you use a separate program. If so, which one, if I may ask.
Erich

My camera, a Nikon D850, takes the images as directed via the menu, and puts them in a folder. I choose the ones that make me feel comfortable that everything is in focus, and feed them to HeliconFocus software, choosing one of its three algorithms. Helicon spits out a .dng file in the folder the images came from. If I don't like what algorithm A spits out, I try algorithm C (I've never messed with B). If A and C both strike out, I curse and cry a little and move on. Let me know if you've more questions about my process; I'm willing to be as articulate as I am able.

Gauss Loc: Earth

Curmudgeon wrote:

I like the term repurposed. I think it means like changing a mill to a house rather than restoring a house to a house. The construction was obviously meant to last. The stone walls seem to be structurally sound. I wonder what it's like inside. It looks like access would be a little difficult during the UP winter. I wonder what it looks like now, 5 years later?

Everything I saw in use seemed to be industrial. I'm assuming they were repurposed in the sense they're not doing what they were doing 100 years ago. :) Most of the abandoned buildings did look structurally sound similar to this one. I only got a look inside one of the buildings and I think I took a picture. I'll hunt it down and post it in the thread. As I recall, it looked like it had been used for storage but hadn't been visited in a long time. I'm hoping to take another trip up that way this September or next; it's a very pretty area during peak fall colors.

Gauss Loc: Earth

Linda From Maine wrote:

An excellent choice for black and white, the architecture is very interesting. Definitely some stories to tell.

Thanks Linda. There a lot of interesting buildings in Calumet. Indeed a place with many stories. When I visited, I was alone and able to just wander around with no schedule or expectations, my favorite way to spend time with the camera.

ebrunner wrote:

I like that you used black and white. I also noted that this is a rather sturdy stone structure. Still, the signs of neglect are everywhere giving us the impression that the building is, indeed, less than pristine. Also the building in the background reinforces the theme since it definitely looks in need of repair even from a great distance. A very good example. Thank you for posting.
Erich

Thanks Erich. I chose black and white for three reasons. It was an overcast day of little color which always pushes me towards b&w. It also seemed that b&w made sense for the thread topic. Lastly, I've been on a b&w kick lately.

I like how the sky turned out. Fortunately, I was able to draw out just enough structure detail in the original sky while in Lightroom that Nik Silver Efex had something to work with and further develop during the b&w conversion.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Curmudgeon wrote:

Is it just me or is this thread becoming a little cumbersome? We're at 4 pages and growing. It is becoming difficult to keep track of posts and responses. Would it make more sense to make individual posts in the "For Your Consideration" forum? Or maybe someone has a better idea?

I'm open to suggestions. The idea that R.G. and I came up with was to have a long thread that would stay open for the month. Each month there would be a different topic.

If we have separate threads, then there would not be a central topic to the individual threads. Basically, the "Masters Critique" thread that we had for years had run its course. There was some discussion among the moderators about what should replace it. We're giving this a try. Last month was the first month and the topic was "water". This month the topic is "less than pristine".

The idea behind Maters critique and this thread is that there would be more of a discussion about the proposed topic rather than just making a single comment on a particular photograph that is posted in its own thread.

So, since the topic is active for a month, a member could, if they were so inclined, go out and shoot a photo with the topic in mind. Then that photo would be posted and become part of the discussion. I started out with a photo of SS United States this month; but that does not mean that the topic has to be about that photo. Linda and others have posted their shots about things that they see as "less than pristine".

We want to be responsive to the membership, so your opinions are all very important. If we can do something that will make you enjoy this section more, then that is on the table. Hope this clarifies our idea a bit more.
Erich

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

cbtsam wrote:

My camera, a Nikon D850, takes the images as direc... (show quote)

Thanks for the information. I might have to take a look at Helicon Focus. Focus stacking is important for images like yours; but I think it is almost essential for macro where there is next to no dof.
Erich

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

ebrunner wrote:

I'm open to suggestions. The idea that R.G. and I... (show quote)

Thanks for responding Erich. I understand and really like the idea. I'm just not sure it's workable. I am interested if others are having the same reservations.

Jack

R.G. Loc: Scotland

ebrunner wrote:

....The idea behind Maters critique and this thread is that there would be more of a discussion about the proposed topic rather than just making a single comment on a particular photograph that is posted in its own thread.....

Indeed. If it's becoming "cumbersome", that's a symptom of its success. Threads like this will stimulate more discussion than the usual one photo (or series) per thread. A little bit of jumping about may be involved if you want to follow more than one poster, but that's a small price to pay for the success of the concept behind the "Master In You" series.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Curmudgeon wrote:

Thanks for responding Erich. I understand and really like the idea. I'm just not sure it's workable. I am interested if others are having the same reservations.

Jack

I think R.G. summed up my thoughts better than I could have. We'll give it a go, and listen to what member's ideas to try to make it work. Thanks for your interest and participation.
Erich

srt101fan

ebrunner wrote:

I think R.G. summed up my thoughts better than I could have. We'll give it a go, and listen to what member's ideas to try to make it work. Thanks for your interest and participation.
Erich

Your concept seems to me akin to a symposium/convention/exhibition with multiple venues for showings and discussions that are bound by a given theme. You get a potentially synergistic effect not achievable with multiple, independent topics. Interesting idea with lots of potential. I hope it succeeds.

jburlinson Loc: Austin, TX

ebrunner wrote:

Topic Of The Month , August 2021: "Less Than Pristine "

Theme 1 How do you approach this topic Mechanical decay, industrial, urban decay, or rural buildings falling apart? What do you look for?

Theme 2 Processing: When do you say "too much"? Do you visualize post processing, or let it come to you?

Has anyone else ever wondered how a blackboard feels after the school day is over and the troublemaking kid who was forced to erase it as punishment duty did a poor job (probably just for spite)?

I typically title my photos and this one is called "Blackboard Singing in the Dead of Night".

As to post-processing, I rarely say "too much". When your subject is a dirty blackboard, it needs all the help it can get.

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

jburlinson wrote:

Has anyone else ever wondered how a blackboard feels after the school day is over and the troublemaking kid who was forced to erase it as punishment duty did a poor job (probably just for spite)?

I typically title my photos and this one is called "Blackboard Singing in the Dead of Night".

As to post-processing, I rarely say "too much". When your subject is a dirty blackboard, it needs all the help it can get.

What an incredibly creative idea! And most awesome title this summer, for sure

cbtsam Loc: Monkton, MD

jburlinson wrote:

Has anyone else ever wondered how a blackboard feels after the school day is over and the troublemaking kid who was forced to erase it as punishment duty did a poor job (probably just for spite)?

I typically title my photos and this one is called "Blackboard Singing in the Dead of Night".

As to post-processing, I rarely say "too much". When your subject is a dirty blackboard, it needs all the help it can get.

School for Abstract Expressionism!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Gauss wrote:

... When I visited, I was alone and able to just wander around with no schedule or expectations, my favorite way to spend time with the camera.

That's my favorite way also! I like to pay attention to weather and light - such as going out at dawn or a foggy winter day - but then drive around seeing what there is to see.

Another is to have a theme in mind, as for this thread. I am hoping the upcoming less-than-miserable (i.e. heatstroke warning) forecast will offer an opportunity for a new pic of the "less than pristine" theme.

In 2020 I was very active in a closed Facebook group that had a new theme each week. It's a lot of fun to look at a "usual suspect" in a different way when you have a theme in mind.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

jburlinson wrote:

Has anyone else ever wondered how a blackboard feels after the school day is over and the troublemaking kid who was forced to erase it as punishment duty did a poor job (probably just for spite)?

I typically title my photos and this one is called "Blackboard Singing in the Dead of Night".

As to post-processing, I rarely say "too much". When your subject is a dirty blackboard, it needs all the help it can get.

When I thought of all the possible iteration of "less than pristine", I never imagined an old blackboard. Bravo, that is creative.
Erich

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

jburlinson wrote:

Has anyone else ever wondered how a blackboard feels after the school day is over and the troublemaking kid who was forced to erase it as punishment duty did a poor job (probably just for spite)?

I typically title my photos and this one is called "Blackboard Singing in the Dead of Night".

As to post-processing, I rarely say "too much". When your subject is a dirty blackboard, it needs all the help it can get.

Has there ever been a subject more ready made for black and white? I think not! Come to think of it, it would still be black and white even if taken in color, wouldn't it? The abstract Background nature of this also opens possibilities of incorporation in other pictures to create original works of art.