*** August Round Table Discussion ***

[NashVegas]

for the original proposal, see this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x18064


The challenge: taking film shots at a club show with crazy spotty lighting that was often changing while trying to get the exposures set. The camera: my Fujica ST801 (manual) with a Fujinon T200. 1:4.5, 1600 on the film, 125 on the shutter speed.

the untouched photo:



Good composition, but poor exposure made it a blah photo.

Solution: amp up the contrast, slightly darken, reduce the noise and clean up from the crap that got on the lens.

the finished draws the eye straight to the crook of the elbow, and deemphasizes the keyboard at the bottom:

[F.Gordon]

1. Why did this thread get dis'd?

Sorry Crisco, I completely missed this and maybe everyone else was really getting into the whole Texture thing, or maybe people have lost interest in the Roundtable?
:shrug:

As someone who likes to snap people with body parts cut off I'm drawn to this sort of photo. Purists will tell ya' that they need to see the whole body and face. I say Nay Nay. I like your choice of focus point and I really like all the shadows going on.... adding to the depth... the perspective.

I've never tried this. I've done outdoors stuff, but not this. Hell, there's a ton of stuff I've never tried. Anyhoo.... I know it's very difficult and you pulled it off quite well.

Only neg point? A minor one... the tip of the Bass(?) geetar is a itsy bitsy distracting.

Thanks for starting the August version of the Roundtable even though the damn month is more than 1/2 over. I'll see what I can dig up to keep this thread going since I'm apparently next because of my reply. I think that was how the rules were outlined. Not sure.

:hi:

[NashVegas]

3. Thanks

for topping and for pointing out the guitar stock.

I'm not such a purist, obviously. I won't reply below your photo cause that would throw it back at me, but. I'm a fan of out-of-focus shots, too - my entry for the people-shot contest was completely out of focus. Even if I hadn't gone with that particular one, the runner-ups were also taken with the subject out of the focal plane.

What I love about them - and the one you've posted - is how they offer a suggestion rather than a statement. They leave the viewer free (or perhaps, force?) to use their own imagination. The only thing I'd have done differently is leave more top space in the photo and less footspace, maybe using a wider angle setting?

[F.Gordon]

2. August Roundtable, Pic #2

I'm going to throw this in to hopefully start a little controversy. And yes... I do own other lenses. :eyes:

Canon 20D : Lens Baby 2.0 : ISO-1600 : f/2.0 : 1/50 sec

My questions are... how important is "focus" to a photograph. Are there times that it can work having really no focus? And what is "art"? I really like this because it's different and it breaks a number of rules. This isn't a "photo shopped" pic. The "effect" was produced in-camera (except for the coloring) My actual weak focus point was in the upper right hand corner.

The Dancers



Just trying to help keep the Roundtable thing going and thought this snap would help stir the pot.
:hi:

[JeffR]

4. Well, I can't resist this

And I'm glad you like this one yourself. The out of focus thing is one of my specialties, but it's usually inadvertent.

This conjures up every boozy wedding reception or banquet I can hazily remember. My first thought was the figure on the far right should be cropped out, but the more I look at it the more it seems to enhance the shot.

This doesn't just break rules, it sucker-punches them and kicks them to the curb. For a photo with so few details, it's remarkable how it keeps the eye busy following every gradation.

That's a pretty inarticulate critique, I guess. What it really comes down to is this: great photograph. (And I talk about Lounge feedback like I'm some kind of highbrow critic...):eyes:

[auburngrad82]

5. Here's an out of focus experiment I did

I was reading a book by Freeman Patterson and he suggested trying to break the conventional photographic rules. So I took my new digital camera, set it to a 2 second display, and swung it like a pendulum. It blurred the trees nicely. The exposure was 1/30sec at f8.

[JeffR]

6. That's pretty cool

the first one makes a nice 'texture' shot.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Here's my favorite inadvertent out-of-focus shot

I took this boozy photo at the wake for my friend Bill who committed suicide last winter. Lawyers will jump at any chance to party. :(

[priller]

11. I like this photo very much

Sorry I'm so late commenting on it. Busy week.

This photo looks like it's from long ago. The guy on the left looks like he's wearing a tux. Is he?

I've been reading these "day books" by Edward Weston, and he was one of the foremost members (along with Ansel Adams) of the proponents of "straight photography", or the clear, sharp, realistic photos. This trend was a reaction to the "pictoralist" photographers who tried to mimic the look of impressionist paintings by using such things as soft focus, out-of-focus, diffusers over the lens, etc.

But now that "straight" photos are much more the norm, it's very cool to see a good intenionally out-of-focus shot like this.

Hmm, sounds like a contest idea.........

[F.Gordon]

27. Not a tux.... just looks like one.

The effect also shrunk his head which gives it an olden days look... the dress kinda' screws it up a bit and brings everything to the present day.

Thanks for your comments. You read quite a bit.... can I recommend some mags? Check out ANY photo mag published in the UK. Nothing against the US of A but our mags seem to focus too much on the technical... which is the "best" camera... stuff like that. Photos in the UK and the mags focus more on style and technique. I still like Digital Pro for technical mumbo jumbo.

[JeffR]

8. Pic #3, then

Staying with the focus thing: this is a small crop from a large pic of a neighborhood park. The big pic was boring, but I noticed this detail and thought it might work on its own. I cropped it, screwed around with color saturation and contrast, and got this result:



It was an incredibly hot, sunny day, like any number of days this year. Can't lay my hands on the original (safely backed up on CD and stored away... somewhere:eyes: ) so I have no details on exposure or aperture.

No masterpiece, but there's something about it I like.

[auburngrad82]

9. It almost looks posterized nt

[JeffR]

10. this area of the larger pic was so washed out originally

it took just a bit of contrast juicing to get this. The focus and exposure was set for a group of large trees way to the left of the bench. What appears to be a solarized tree near the bench is actually a metal lamp post.

[Ms. Toad]

12. Pic #4 - it's been two days, so I'll jump in...

rather than let this thread die.

In keeping with both this month's apparent theme (out of focus images), and last month's round table suggestions (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x18133#18428 ), have at it!

The photograph was taken through the aero bar mounted on my bicycle handlebars (front tire and pavement) last weekend:



(Just remember, if you're too critical I'll ask you to replicate it - it was taken after 25 miles in the rain + 10 miles in the wind, with 45 yet to go on day one! ... just kidding, critique away)

[priller]

13. I think that's probably what it would look like to me

after cycling for 25 miles. By that point the whole world would be spinning. Nice photo!

[JeffR]

14. Uncritiquable (is that a word?)

Very cool.

[F.Gordon]

16. Uncritiquable ?

Hang on... I'll go googles it on the internets

There is no waaaay I can duplicate Ms Toad's pic, so I'm going with the uncritiquable thing. Actually... it is waaay kewl.

[Eurobabe]

15. That's pretty cool, I like it!

Speaks of the monotony of riding in the driving rain for umpteen miles.

[Eurobabe]

17. Pic #5, is everybody on vacay?

Okay, throwing this one out there...it's my daughter at her piano, I did some funky things with Photoshop, blurred it and then added a glass texture.

[Eurobabe]

18. where is everybody??

[F.Gordon]

19. Good question

I've not been avoiding this thread I've just been hoping that others would chime in with critiques and such. I kicked the OP up because it was sinking into the no reply quicksand. And I just didn't want to see my username on this thread over and over again. :crazy:

Possible answers.... people are not sure how to comment on a photo or are hesitant to offer up a photo for comments because they think they have nothing worthy... nothing "good" enough to throw into the Fire Pit.
:shrug:

I can't get into JeffR's head to know his motivation for coming up with this great idea but I would guess that part of it.. the most important thing... it would allow everyone to become better at all this photogruphicalumlistic stuff because we could all learn from the photos presented and the comments made.

ONE: Commenting is easy and hard at the same time, but even giving a critique can, in itself, be a good learning tool. You see a photo you like... try to figure out specifically why you like it and figure out a way to express your feelings in words. Even if you don't have a grasp of the whole technical mumbo-jumbo everyone should be able to see "a story".... "an emotion"....."a feeling"...... That's certainly easy enough.

You see a photo that you aren't sure you like or have mixed feelings about then say so, but don't use the Raw Fish critique style. Just saying that a photo sucks or is really bad doesn't do anyone any good. If you don't like/have mixed feelings about a photo then try to "see" how you might have taken the snap differently. Try to understand why a person likes a photo they offer up and then try to suggest ways they might have improved... etc.. etc...

TWO: No One should feel intimidated about offering up a photo for comments. Everyone who snaps pixs has a favorite or two or 1,000. Find one you like and throw it in the pot. If someone starts going all Raw Fish on you then just ignore them. And ask questions. If someone suggests something ask them to explain how to do it if you don't understand what they are saying.
======================================================================================================

And your photograph? I really like this. The window in the background provides a nice lighting effect and "balances" out everything very well. For me, it has a lonely solemn feel to it. She appears completely disengaged from the piano but also attached to it in a way.. this is where I see the whole feeling thing.

My only neg? I always like funky, but I don't know that you needed the glass texture. It does give it a painted look, which is kewl... but IMHO this photo is powerful enough on its own that it doesn't need a whole lot shoppin'. Blur, Hikey, lokey.... all those effects would have worked. I just don't know if the glass texture thing works.

Thanks for keepin' this thread alive and aren't you sorry that you asked the question.

:crazy:

Too.Much.Coffee.
:hi:

[Blue_In_AK]

20. I don't know enough to critique...

That's why I've stayed out of these discussions. I've been leaving it to the pros.

[F.Gordon]

21. "pros" ???

:wtf:

Like I said... the only way you can learn to "critque" a photo is by actually doing it. You learn something and the recepient learns something. It's all completely subjective anyhoooo.... Try to imagine that it's your photograph. What do you like or dislike about it.... what would you do differently (if anything).

You're just too damn nice and are afraid of saying something that might offend someone. You can be critical without being a Raw Fish.
:hi:

[Blue_In_AK]

22. Well, I AM pretty damn nice, I've got to agree.

:)

[insane_cratic_gal]

23. Can I see the picture

without the effect?

It looks like it would be lovely

[Eurobabe]

24. Sure, I was just playing around with Photoshop

I am kind of still learning Photoshop and will often take a picture and do funky things to it, just to see how it turns out.

Here is the BW photo, without the effects.

[insane_cratic_gal]

25. I love it

the lighting is nice.. I understand you were doing it for the motion topic, but I really wanted to see it as it was originally because I admired it!.

Very Whimsical!

I hope you have that hanging on your wall at home because it's lovely

[Eurobabe]

26. Thank you, yes, I have a series of her

some are from indoors and the others are outdoors at a lake. All are BW, they are very artsy, classics :)

[Blue_In_AK]

28. That's a beautiful shot.

The lighting is perfect.