Mane's Art

Maeniel · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 1052 Location: Next to Waldo

Alrighty! I need y'alls opinion. Over at [url]ph.otogra.ph[/url], this week's theme is "take." I did a mini-photoshoot, and I narrowed it down to these two pics. I may do another shoot later (taking a trip), but for now...

The idea was "taking notes."

The idea was "take a bite," taking a page out of Snow White's book.

Which one do you guys prefer? Any comments?
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electricpanda · Joined: 03 Sep 2008 Posts: 608 Location: Smelbourne

I prefer the last photo, mainly because it just doesn't look like something you'd find in a brochure for a university XD One thing that I think needs some addressing, though, is the clarity of the photographs. They're all kind of fuzzy.
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Maeniel · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 1052 Location: Next to Waldo

I can't do much about that; my camera's not top-of-the-market, and these were taken in low-light settings without anything to stabilize it. BUUUUT if there's a way to sharpen them in photoshop (without intensive airbrushing--which I can do but have no time for) then I'm all ears. Smile

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sunshine · Joined: 05 Sep 2008 Posts: 592 Location: Up in the Clouds

In terms of image quality and overall composition I'd go with the second one. Sadly, there's no real good tricks in photoshop for sharpening the focus on a photo... if the original image is out of focus, it'd pretty much require drawing in all the details by hand in order to compensate
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Tenshi · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 2594 Location: Star Stuff

@Maen: I'd like to offer a suggestion, for that third photograph. I like it, it's unique, but the flash is pretty harsh. So...

A bit of a flash trick I picked up from a very talented photographer:
Take a piece of paper and hold it in front of the flash on the camera, angling the paper so that it "bounces" the light in a certain direction. So long as this doesn't block the lens of the camera, the light will come from the side quite a bit more, and won't be so...hrm. Well, it'll be more diffused and natural.

That's my only gripe with the third picture: flash. And trust me, if you look at my gallery, you'll see that I've done just the same (or worse) for a long time. I just recently learned that trick and felt to share it. I love the third picture's idea, but I'll agree that selecting from the set I prefer the middle image (the close-up on writing).

Hope all that helps, sorry if I rambled. ^^;
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Keeper of the Siderean Swords

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Red Skelton

Asa · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject:

Composition and lighting lead me to choose the second one. The first is too generalized, in that the focus is on the girl's face instead of her hand (and she's not in character enough to be the focus), and the third is too cliched. I like how you can see a bit of the text in the book where it's in shadow, and the background focus give nice depth. I can see how this follows the theme of the challenge best in the second one than in either of the others.
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Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
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Maeniel · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 1052 Location: Next to Waldo

Thanks for all your kind comments! Smile

I think I'll end up using the second one.

@ Tenshi: I actually didn't use flash for that third picture--that's why it's so blurry. I had somebody hold a flashlight from an angle so they wouldn't be seen from the mirror. The original composition also has a lot more color and warmth to it; I edited it so that she would look pale (almost deathly) and the bright green of the apple would stand out. I guess it didn't work as intended... Here's the original shot.

That's a nifty trick, though! I'll use it sometime. Usually I'll use a random object to deflect/reduce the flash, but now that I think about it, paper seems like the obvious (and easier) choice. Smile

And no worries about rambling! Goodness know I do it myself too much.

EDIT: Looking back at the pictures, there's actually one of the Snow White that I had overlooked before... It's much sharper. Sad

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Tenshi · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 2594 Location: Star Stuff

Oooh, a flashlight would explain it also. Tips for flashlights generally follow the same pattern. Use paper to diffuse the light, or if you're really looking to spruce it up get mini maglites and cut small pieces of translucent (colored) plastic, for the plastic cover thing.

...you know, for a future Science Teacher, I really do a lot of photography junk. Razz

I think the pale skin of the model was accented by the flashlight, and that draws the attention from the apple. If you're interested in doing some editing in Photoshop you could try to darken and saturate the model's face, though I'm not entirely sure that would work. Now that I know what you were going for, I think I like the idea even more...

Yes, I think reducing the brightness and upping the saturation in the hand and face would make the apple jump out first. Alternately, if you're still going for pale, you could just reduce the brightness and (if necessary) actually reduce color saturation, to keep that "pale as snow" look...

All that aside though, the images are really excellent. The frame you have the images in tends to really draw the eye to certain spots, and the two "note taking" images are really exceptional. I adore the close-up of the hand, and I'll be adding that to my favorites if I can find it on your dA page. The one of the girl reading/studying is awesome too, though I think it represents more the overall experience of college, and not just note taking. It speaks volumes of things, such as "I'm doing what I need to do, not what sounds fun. I'm going to make this work, I swear it to myself."

Anyway, spent more time rambling, sorry. ^^;

Excellent stuff, Maen.
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. Dubbed "Usagi" by AsA .
Keeper of the Siderean Swords

"If by chance some day you're not feeling well, and you should remember some silly thing I've said or done, and it brings back a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as your clown has been fulfilled."
Red Skelton

Maeniel · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 1052 Location: Next to Waldo

Here's a couple more:

Is that more what you ewre thinking of, Tenshi?
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Tenshi · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 2594 Location: Star Stuff

For the bottom picture, yes. That one focuses my eyes a lot more quickly on the apple than the model, and the apple looks brilliant green to boot.

The top one, I think I prefer the first from that set.
_________________
. Dubbed "Usagi" by AsA .
Keeper of the Siderean Swords

"If by chance some day you're not feeling well, and you should remember some silly thing I've said or done, and it brings back a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as your clown has been fulfilled."
Red Skelton

Maeniel · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 1052 Location: Next to Waldo

Indecisiveness makes way for something completely new! Smile

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Tenshi · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 2594 Location: Star Stuff

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_________________
. Dubbed "Usagi" by AsA .
Keeper of the Siderean Swords

"If by chance some day you're not feeling well, and you should remember some silly thing I've said or done, and it brings back a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as your clown has been fulfilled."
Red Skelton

Asa · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject:

Regarding Hand.v.2, I still like Hand.v.1 better - the second of the first group. I like Apple.v.2 better than the first one though, this one is much more focus on the mouth-biting-apple bit.
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Self-styled Forum Grandmother, because I hand out nicknames and hugs whether you want them or not. ^_^

Keeper of the Library and the Gateway to Haven

Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
__________________
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended...
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

Maeniel · Joined: 22 Mar 2008 Posts: 1052 Location: Next to Waldo

Ah. Try following this finely crafted link.
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Asa · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:52 pm Post subject:

Ha. Whadja do, combine all of them? I love it, it's great. Perfect.
_________________
Self-styled Forum Grandmother, because I hand out nicknames and hugs whether you want them or not. ^_^

Keeper of the Library and the Gateway to Haven

Nem: "It's the sort of face you just know is getting ready to poke you with something sharp."
BS: "...then insist you eat a brownie."
__________________
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended...
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.