[SI] - Grace

[SI] - Grace - is up

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JimKramer - 07 Nov 2006 21:38 GMT

Grace is now posted.

http://www.pbase.com/shootin/grace

Those who haven't submitted are disgraceful. You still have time to
redeem yourselves and attain a state of grace by submitting.

http://si.jlkramer.net/rulz/rulz.htm

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Ken Tough - 08 Nov 2006 06:25 GMT

>Grace is now posted.
>
>http://www.pbase.com/shootin/grace
>
>Those who haven't submitted are disgraceful. You still have time to
>redeem yourselves and attain a state of grace by submitting.

A grace period?

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Ken Tough

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Paul Furman - 08 Nov 2006 17:58 GMT

> Grace is now posted.
> http://www.pbase.com/shootin/grace
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> http://si.jlkramer.net/rulz/rulz.htm

OK I'll post comments, since I've been delinquent commenting and
submitting for quite a while.

Paul Furman (me) - morning light in bay window
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875071
I thought this came out pretty cool. What could be more graceful than a
sunrise? I probably pushed the rulz by masking a saturation boost but
hey, that's how I work and it was with the intent of capturing the scene
that my eyes saw more 'accurately'.

Colin Donoghue - ballet lady
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875115
Beautiful lady and beautiful capture of her though the background
concrete block wall detracts, not just because it's ugly but because
it's so gray. I would have gone with a shallower DOF than f/8 to soften
things a bit, if I thought of it. Cloudy skys? BTW, it would be
technically very difficult to photoshop the background into blur, one
would need to cut out the figure and clone in some more background
behind her to avoid a halo.

Mardon - seagull
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875122
I thought about submitting a bird in flight after the fact, good idea
for the mandate. The bird in the background has an awkward position with
it's beak behind the front bird's feet but I think I like the clean
black & white-ish look here and maybe I was mistaken about the grays in
Colin's dancer.

Michelo - chinese lanterns
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875177
I'm surprised a little P&S can get a night scene like this at 1/125 sec.
There isn't any detail at all in the shadows so I don't know if that
might have looked better, perhaps a little more rich and subtle?

Nicholas Lindan - grandfather's iris
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875193
Speaking of black backgrounds and silvery gray color schemes... There's
no doubt the blackground was intentional here and I think it is
effective for a very strong conceptual impact.

Ken Nadvornick - roadside memorial
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875249
"4x5 field camera... 210mm... 1/400 sec at f/12.7"
I take it that was an intentionally shallow DOF for such a camera in
bright light? I like the informal documentary feel of the shot. An
interesting interpretation of grace. The composition is strong enough to
overcome the cluttered reality. Perhaps unintentional but I like the
mirroring of the white cross and the black cross of the power pole in
the background.

Jim Kramer - ice crystals on a pond?
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875256
I enjoy abstract patterns like this but perhaps the composition is still
too confusing. I want to see only the upper-left-center formation, the
lower-right one throws me and is confusing. I suspect this type of shot
would benefit from a large detailed print size. You must have still had
the fractals mandate on your mind!

Ken Tough - autumn leaf caught in branch, falling
http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69899257
Neat idea and I appreciate the thought of capturing it but my eyes want
a portrait framing or some other more interesting composition. I can see
how the space on the left emphasizes the precarious situation though. I
suppose the muted colors are appropriate but it really is very subtle,
that's why I was craving a more dynamic composition. The concept is great.

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Paul Furman
http://www.edgehill.net/1
Bay Natives
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Ken Nadvornick - 08 Nov 2006 19:54 GMT

> Ken Nadvornick - roadside memorial
> http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875249
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> the white cross and the black cross of the power pole in
> the background.

Thanks for the interesting insights, Paul.

You are correct that the scene was inherently very cluttered. Freshly
fallen autumn leaves in abundance. I've known of this location for years.
It's one of the few around that has been maintained non-stop since it was
originally erected. I found myself wishing that it was summer when the
median is covered in less cluttered grass.

The (somewhat) shallower DOF was part of an attempt to minimize some of the
background clutter. Didn't work out especially effectively. Printing on a
grade #3 paper was also an attempt to de-emphasize the background by
dropping the shadows deeper while maintaining the brilliant whites of the
cross. Final effect also only so-so. I will definitely have another go at
this subject in the future.

One of the simple handwritten notes attached to the cross says,

"Please never stop being with me in my dreams at night. See you again,
Carrie."

So my interpretation of "Grace" therefore came by way of a seventh-level
definition in The American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition:

"grace (gras) n. 7. Theol. b. The state of being protected by God."

Which is how I strongly suspect Carrie feels about Cory every time she
arrives to redo his memorial for the next holiday, birthday, or memory.

Ken

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Paul Furman - 08 Nov 2006 21:58 GMT

>>Ken Nadvornick - roadside memorial
>>http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875249
>>An interesting interpretation of grace.

> One of the simple handwritten notes attached to the cross says,
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> "grace (gras) n. 7. Theol. b. The state of being protected by God."

That's the definition I was thinking of, and hell, I'm an atheist :~)
Still a pretty complicated story to arrive back at 'grace' that makes
one pause & ponder.

> Which is how I strongly suspect Carrie feels about Cory every time she
> arrives to redo his memorial for the next holiday, birthday, or memory.
>
> Ken

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Paul Furman
http://www.edgehill.net/1
Bay Natives
http://www.baynatives.com

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michelo - 08 Nov 2006 20:23 GMT

> Michelo - chinese lanterns
> http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875177
> I'm surprised a little P&S can get a night scene like this at 1/125 sec.

Why not? Unless you just mean that I don't have ISO 3200.

> There isn't any detail at all in the shadows so I don't know if that might
> have looked better, perhaps a little more rich and subtle?

It was too late after sunset and a longer exposure was only whitening the
lanterns. But that way it does not show the crowd of people facing me. Would
you prefer it more with the light like that one, made closer to sunset with
a Canon 5D, 1.3 sec. at f/22?

http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/images/actualite/lanternes_bateau.jpg

Thanks for commenting.

Michel

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Paul Furman - 08 Nov 2006 21:51 GMT

>>Michelo - chinese lanterns
>>http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875177
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> you prefer it more with the light like that one, made closer to sunset with
> a Canon 5D, 1.3 sec. at f/22?

I do like that one. Maybe in between? The P&S' tend to apply a lot of
contrast also, so the Canon in the same light might have had a bit more
shadow detail. I used a P&S & applied more contrast though so...

> http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/images/actualite/lanternes_bateau.jpg
>
> Thanks for commenting.
>
> Michel

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Paul Furman
http://www.edgehill.net/1
Bay Natives
http://www.baynatives.com

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JimKramer - 09 Nov 2006 21:08 GMT

> > Michelo - chinese lanterns
> > http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875177
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Michel

I much prefer the black one.

I was (pleasantly) surprised at the camera model though. I've just
gotten used to the DSLR's I suppose.

Jim

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michelo - 10 Nov 2006 13:10 GMT

>> > Michelo - chinese lanterns
>> > http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875177
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> Jim

Maybe it's because I use it in manual mode.

I bought it used because I think it's one of the best models they made. It
has manual control for speed, aperture and flash output. Use regular AA
batteries. And have a larger sensor than the current models. It's just too
bad they purposely put a shutter lag.

Michel

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JimKramer - 10 Nov 2006 16:54 GMT

>SNIIP<
> > I much prefer the black one.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Michel

I've debated/toyed with the idea of getting a pocketable P&S for
awhile. I just haven't found the right combination of features and
size. I have large hands and most of the P&S's feel like toys. :-(
And worse very easy to misplace.

Jim

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Ken Tough - 09 Nov 2006 04:06 GMT

>Ken Tough - autumn leaf caught in branch, falling
>http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69899257
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>suppose the muted colors are appropriate but it really is very subtle,
>that's why I was craving a more dynamic composition. The concept is great.

Thanks for the kind comments.

The colour is kindof muted, and I had intended to try and catch a
leaf while gracefully falling, but it was an abyssmally overcast day.
Oh well.

>Mardon - seagull
>http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875122
>I thought about submitting a bird in flight after the fact, good idea
>for the mandate.

Yes, my initial thought was to try and recapture this shot I had in the
archives: http://www.pbase.com/k_j_tough/image/69932917/large
but that was some special conditions.

It is a nice clean look in that shot, and gulls are just so graceful.

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Ken Tough

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Ken Tough - 09 Nov 2006 04:12 GMT

Thanks for the kind comments.

The colour is kindof muted, and I had intended to try and catch a
leaf while gracefully falling, but it was an abyssmally overcast day.
Oh well.

>Mardon - seagull
>http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875122
>I thought about submitting a bird in flight after the fact, good idea
>for the mandate.

Yes, my initial thought was to try and recapture this shot I had in the
archives: http://www.pbase.com/k_j_tough/image/69932917/large
but it takes some special conditions.

It is a nice clean look in Mardon's shot, and gulls are just
so inherently graceful.

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Ken Tough

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JimKramer - 09 Nov 2006 20:59 GMT

> Jim Kramer - ice crystals on a pond?
> http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875256
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> would benefit from a large detailed print size. You must have still had
> the fractals mandate on your mind!

Frost on the side window of my pickup.

I was going for the delicate (graceful) leaves of the ice crystals near
the center of the image. Delicate enough that breathing near them
destroys them.

Next time I will try back lighting them and see what happens.

Thanks for commenting.

Jim

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Colin_D - 09 Nov 2006 23:37 GMT

<snip>

> Colin Donoghue - ballet lady
> http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875115
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> would need to cut out the figure and clone in some more background
> behind her to avoid a halo.

<more snip>

Thanks for the comments Paul. I was/am not too happy with the wall, the
shot was part of a series with this girl, but arranged by another photog
on behalf of several photogs in an advanced group who get together from
time to time. He chose the wall as about the most neutral background,
so we had to make the most of it. I actually softened the wall some
with Gaussian blur - the original was almost as sharp as the model. I
didn't think of a complete transplant of the model to another
background, but in any case I didn't have a suitable background to use.

OTOH the contrast between the soft, feminine girl and the hard concrete
background does say something, I guess.

Colin D.

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Mardon - 17 Nov 2006 21:07 GMT

Paul Furman <paul-@-edgehill.net> wrote:

> Mardon - seagull
> http://www.pbase.com/shootin/image/69875122
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> I like the clean black & white-ish look here and maybe I was
> mistaken about the grays in Colin's dancer.

Thanks for the comments. I've been 'on the road', without Usenet
access for the past 2 weeks, so I didn't get a chance to comment on
your critique until now. I agree with what you've said about my
image. I would have much preferred the one gull all alone. I tried
but didn't get a good shot like that. Thanks again.

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Alan Browne - 11 Nov 2006 21:09 GMT

> Grace is now posted.
>
> http://www.pbase.com/shootin/grace
>
> Those who haven't submitted are disgraceful. You still have time to
> redeem yourselves and attain a state of grace by submitting.

I'll try but I've been very busy / travelling. (Was supposed to be home
last night 'round midnight ... spent night in Chicago ... got home
'rounf 10:30 this am...

Disgraceful ... my mandate and everything...

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