Artistic Shots- Well thought out, framed (positioned), artistic shots only please.

[smslavin]

Here's a mid-summer thunder storm rolling into a village just south of Dusseldorf.

 

[Tucson T4R]

Here's a mid-summer thunder storm rolling into a village just south of Dusseldorf.

That one has some great dynamic impact. I'll have to look for a good storm front to practice some more. :drool:

You guys are killing me. :Wow1:

Slavin, There are several excellent photographers in this community. It's nice to see you join EXPO and share your talent. Welcome.

 

[smslavin]

That one has some great dynamic impact. I'll have to look for a good storm front to practice some more. :drool:

You guys are killing me. :Wow1:

Slavin, There are several excellent photographers in this community. It's nice to see you join EXPO and share your talent. Welcome.

Thanks. I've been lurking here off and on for awhile but decided a few days ago to get active.

I'll see what I can dig up from my travels to post up later this evening.

 

[Lost Canadian]

You can't go wrong with either one of those. I've used Photomatix and it's pretty slick but I also have some of Nik's plug-ins. Their HDR will probably be pretty good.

I may also go for broke and just invest in PS then take a course on how to manually blend images. A course like the one Jay and Varina Patel offer where they teach their iHDR technique.

 

[taco2go]

Great pictures smslavin. Looking forward to seeing many more.

Trevor I'd be very interested in hearing what you think. I signed up for one of their (jay and Varina) online courses a year or so ago- well worth it, and they offer ebooks now, on various techniques also available in iPad format if you have one. I keep up but don't do any blending myself now.
I probably use more of their tips on white balance adjustment, than blending techniques.
I found that the challenge and artistic thrill I got from aquiring a somewhat decent single exposure was far more rewarding than successfully blending layers and time intensive post processing to get a technically perfect-appearing image. Maybe if I was making a living as a photog.....so no HDR for me.

I like pouring through this guy's seascapes, all single exposure.
he also has a nice ebook out on classic landscape artists and painters crammed full of amazing pieces.

 

[Lost Canadian]

I probably use more of their tips on white balance adjustment,...

Best white balance tip I ever got involved taping grey duct tape to the front of all my lens caps. Who knew that duct tape on a lens cap could be used as a suprisingly accurate grey point.

I found that the challenge and artistic thrill I got from aquiring a somewhat decent single exposure was far more rewarding than successfully blending layers and time intensive post processing to get a technically perfect-appearing image. Maybe if I was making a living as a photog.....so no HDR for me.

Personally, I'm all about the end result. I don't always enjoy getting up at god forsaken hours of the morning and stumbling through the dark, who does(?), but I do it because I know that's when the magic happens. Of course when it happens I get jazzed, but when that alarms sounds between 3:30 and 5:30AM, most of the time I just lie there thinking to myself, why do I do this. I figure if I go to that much effort to get a couple half decent shots, or sometimes none at all, then I'm willing to spend a few extra minutes in front of the computer to get the end result I'm truely after. HRD blending, as far as I'm concerned, is just another tool in the tray. You certainly don't always need it, but until cameras can capture exactly what we as humans can see, then I'm all for embracing and utilizing it.

I like pouring through this guy's seascapes, all single exposure. He also has a nice ebook out on classic landscape artists and painters crammed full of amazing pieces.

I've seen Patrick's work before, he has some nice stuff for sure. What I find kind of funny about Patrick though is he sometimes goes to lengths to tell others he doesn't use HDR techniques but he's quite open about double processing his work using both Capture One for the RAW and then working on the TIFF's in Photoshop.

 

[taco2go]

Yup- I do agree that cross processing opens up a can of worms. From his blog, I get the impression that Patrick primarily uses PS mainly for layer masks for localized and overlapping sharpening.

Then again, HDR as a term itself, means so much more than what most people now associate it with. Does it automatically imply exposure blending? I like to think that I strive to take single exposure high Dynamic range images myself.


I hear you on the 3 am groan fest- for now I think I am very much in the infatuation phase in my relationship with photography. Plus with my crazy call schedule, the slowing down, smelling the morning air, not knowing what can happen, is therapy- especially after attending a crazy C-section.

 

[Tucson T4R]

.........therapy- especially after attending a crazy C-section.

Been there twice. That will will warp your your brain. :wings:

Oh look at the pretty blues and other colors...no let's not. :Wow1:

Of course that was 20 years ago so now it seems like a smoothed over wonderful memory.

But I know different.:elkgrin:

 

[Ludedude]

 

[Lost Canadian]

^You know, my brain is saying those colours are bleeding right through my screen, but this works for me, I like it. The straight up pull no punches, red, yellow, and blues, are a real kick in the eyes.

 

[Ludedude]

Thanks for the comment. Sometimes the subject matter just lends itself to being pushed to 'in your face' color, imho anyway

 

[Tucson T4R]

I agree. Sometimes it just screams turn down the volume!! But in this case the intensity works very well. Cool shot.

 

[RusherRacing]

Mesa Verde NP during a sand storm

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4834926319_382a09861b_z.jpg

Mesa Verde NP during a sand storm

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4835536226_22f9425358_z.jpg

I have a bunch more at www.flickr.com/RusherRacing

 

[Lost Canadian]

That's cool. I really like the first shot.

 

[smslavin]

Doing a little B&W remixing on some of the images I made in Borrego last week. Wanted to share one.