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Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: August 03, 2013, 10:17:36 PM »
I went to Alexandria, near Washington D.C. and only took pictures of the sidewalk. Well, only had pictures I liked of the sidewalk.
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107
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 25, 2013, 10:47:13 PM »
This is the first stab at an image I'm working on.
I got really excited today, because I kind of realized my first opportunity to "make" a photographic work which is similar in complexity to a piece of traditional artwork, such as painting or drawing.
I saw some willow trees blowing in the breeze and I was especially stricken with their motion and long, flowing lines. I essentially pictured a photo which was a massive enlargement (I'm currently planning the photo to be 90" by 40", which is the aspect ratio of the above photo). However, I want the photo to look as close to the above photo as possible with a few changes.
First of all, a 90x40" enlargement presents some problems. At 300dpi, this is an image 27,000 x 12,000. Of course you can just enlarge a photo and lose quality, but it is possible to take a photo which is 27,000 x 12,000... A few posts back I gave an example of the detail of 4x5 film. That image was scanned, if I recall, at 1,200 DPI. A 4x9 aspect ratio image on 4x5 film requires a scan of 6,400 DPI, which, will need to be wet mounted on glass plates in order to get the image in focus (each pixel will represent .00015 inches). Since I don't have access to a wet mount scanner, unfortunately I think I'll need to take a drop to 5,400 DPI.
Of course there's the issue of focusing this on the camera, again, the image on the ground glass will be a 2.11x4.75" representation of an image which will eventually be 40x90". So I think I'll need a 20x loupe and hope that the ground glass on the camera will actually have enough detail.
Then as far as printing goes, I'll need to order six separate 20x30" prints and mount them on something... with something... such that it lays flat and will not move or warp even slightly... I'm thinking of somehow mounting it onto or between glass.
The final image I have in mind is a bit more dramatic, again, the above shot was just sort of a placid moment, a test shot to see if I can make the image work with a 50mm lens, because I only have a 160mm lens (the 160 on a 4x5 is roughly equivalent to a 50mm on a full frame camera). I want the final image to have an almost violent wind, a visual disruption and clear movement.
All in all this is a lot of fun for me. I've never really worked printing and mounting so directly into the creative process, but when I saw this picture in my head I knew it could only work as a huge, huge loving print with violent motion and a whole lot of detail.
108
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 25, 2013, 07:00:05 PM »
Alright, these are fair points all around and I'll recognize them as valid and furthermore retract my earlier statements. With all that in mind, I understand your creative process and your intent in taking the kind of pictures you do. My only criticism at that point would be that you didn't effectively convey those emotions. I can't offer any suggestions on how to improve in that regard, because it's not my style. However it is suffice to say that a strong photograph will communicate a message effectively without a text accompaniment; I suppose my suggestion to you would be to, when moved to take a photo by something, either when out with a camera or not, to visualize a finished image which conveys your message or your intent in taking a picture perfectly, and use that mental image to inform every decision.
My approach to photography and general creative philosophy is that photography (well, landscape photography at least) should serve to isolate and amplify the beauty of nature. I have served a scene well if someone can look at a finished photo of mine and recognize in no uncertain terms what attracted me to it and why, it's my aim to eliminate distractions and get a "distilled version" so to speak, of my "vision" of a scene.
I'm not one to inject emotion into a scene or to personify any inanimate object. I suppose that is an artistically legitimate (whatever that phrase means) thing to do, but it's not something I do or really identify with. I guess some people can also "read" emotion or personification into my photos or anyone else's for that matter, but my intent in landscape photography is only to recognize, isolate, and convey beauty which strikes a deep chord in me.
I should also say, though, that I think effective art is that which effectively conveys a message, or at least something which can elicit a response in the viewer, that's a fundamental that cannot be avoided.
Thanks also to everyone for the meaningful and respectful discussion which has actually changed my mind on something.
My approach to photography and general creative philosophy is that photography (well, landscape photography at least) should serve to isolate and amplify the beauty of nature. I have served a scene well if someone can look at a finished photo of mine and recognize in no uncertain terms what attracted me to it and why, it's my aim to eliminate distractions and get a "distilled version" so to speak, of my "vision" of a scene.
I'm not one to inject emotion into a scene or to personify any inanimate object. I suppose that is an artistically legitimate (whatever that phrase means) thing to do, but it's not something I do or really identify with. I guess some people can also "read" emotion or personification into my photos or anyone else's for that matter, but my intent in landscape photography is only to recognize, isolate, and convey beauty which strikes a deep chord in me.
I should also say, though, that I think effective art is that which effectively conveys a message, or at least something which can elicit a response in the viewer, that's a fundamental that cannot be avoided.
Thanks also to everyone for the meaningful and respectful discussion which has actually changed my mind on something.
109
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 23, 2013, 05:58:50 PM »
If someone looked at a flower and said "that looks sad" then they probably aren't a very good artist.
And if they were a good artist, they either wouldn't think that, or portray it in some way that's more impactful than a typical "oooh look at this flower" shot that's been slightly desaturated and decontrasated.
And if they were a good artist, they either wouldn't think that, or portray it in some way that's more impactful than a typical "oooh look at this flower" shot that's been slightly desaturated and decontrasated.
110
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 23, 2013, 04:49:22 PM »
I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish by lowering contrast and saturation, though? I mean, there's certainly a time and a scene to edit like that, but I wouldn't think pictures of flowers would be an appropriate one. If you look at a flower and say "wow, this has beautiful value and a beautiful hue", then you would edit in a way that emphasized those values and hues, not diminish them.
111
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 22, 2013, 11:27:12 AM »
The "subdued" look you're going for is not good, you should stop doing it.
Here's another way to think of it: If color and form is what originally attracted you to take a picture of a given flower, why not edit to emphasize these traits? Except for some very thought out artistic decisions, it's not a good idea to edit contrary to what drew you to a scene. In fact, your editing should -always- be in line with the reason you took the picture as much as you can manage it.
Here's another way to think of it: If color and form is what originally attracted you to take a picture of a given flower, why not edit to emphasize these traits? Except for some very thought out artistic decisions, it's not a good idea to edit contrary to what drew you to a scene. In fact, your editing should -always- be in line with the reason you took the picture as much as you can manage it.
112
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 16, 2013, 09:24:30 AM »
#1 is the only worthwhile (non vacation snapshot) photo IMO. Expression on the kid is good, I like the framing & values are all nice. I would render the sky a bit lighter though, for some reason I'm seeing it as a sort of creme color that doesn't exactly appeal to me (is it straight grayscale or is it slightly toned? I can't tell.)
Anyway, I've resigned myself over the last few days to editing old pictures of mine instead of going out and taking new ones. I've been working on developing my editing skills, specifically editing to elicit the original "idea" of the scene, so to speak, that I saw when taking the picture. This has mostly led to better edits of pictures that I already liked, but I have come across some pictures that I had disregarded while originally editing the set, but now realize that I can edit to actually, well, "get" the idea, or visually convey it I guess would be the more accurate thing to say. Here's one of my favorite ones of the set that I didn't think there was anything at first but after revisiting it I found something in it.
Anyway, I've resigned myself over the last few days to editing old pictures of mine instead of going out and taking new ones. I've been working on developing my editing skills, specifically editing to elicit the original "idea" of the scene, so to speak, that I saw when taking the picture. This has mostly led to better edits of pictures that I already liked, but I have come across some pictures that I had disregarded while originally editing the set, but now realize that I can edit to actually, well, "get" the idea, or visually convey it I guess would be the more accurate thing to say. Here's one of my favorite ones of the set that I didn't think there was anything at first but after revisiting it I found something in it.
113
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 06, 2013, 06:49:11 PM »hipster as stuff yofcking can't stand hipsters.
114
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 06, 2013, 05:57:52 PM »sirrus please
tell me what camera you use
Here is all the camera equipment/software I use:
Digital:
Nikon D700. Lenses are Nikkor 24 2.8, 50 1.8, Sigma 70-200 2.8 HSM I, I also have a SB-700 flash.
Film:
Olympus OM10 35mm with a 50 1.8. I shoot almost entirely color film on this camera, usually fujifilm 400.
Argus Argoflex E, 75mm lens. It's a twin lens camera with top viewing, shoots onto 120 film (square exposures 56x56mm). Film is Kodak 120 400 film.
Calumet CC-400 with a Copal 0 shutter and a 165 mm lens, shoots 4x5" film. I shoot Ilford 400 4x5 film.
Second two cameras are metered with a Weston V meter:
Software:
Lightroom for organization/rudimentary editing.
Silver Efex for B&W editing:
Color Efex for color editing:
115
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 06, 2013, 12:34:30 PM »
Super happy with this photo:
Also fun stuff, I shot the above shot on my DSLR, also shot with almost the same composition on the large format film camera:
Need to fix some developing errors, but large format is killer. To get an idea of the detail, check out the 100% crop of the rock tip:
4x5:
Full format digital:
Also fun stuff, I shot the above shot on my DSLR, also shot with almost the same composition on the large format film camera:
Need to fix some developing errors, but large format is killer. To get an idea of the detail, check out the 100% crop of the rock tip:
4x5:
Full format digital:
116
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: July 02, 2013, 10:02:24 PM »
One of the finest black and white photos I've turned out yet.
117
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: June 20, 2013, 03:08:34 PM »
I like the first one, the rest of them are kind of boring.
118
Creativity / Re: ■ The research Megathread ■
« on: June 15, 2013, 11:29:02 PM »
My God get over yourselves people, we get it.
119
Creativity / Re: • The Story/Fanfic Megathread •
« on: June 13, 2013, 08:42:35 PM »
I wrote a fanfic for Fo3 called "Life and Death in the Capital Wasteland".
I had fun writing it, and amazingly, although I wrote it two years ago I'm not entirely ashamed of it.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6767942/1/Life-and-Death-in-the-Capital-Wasteland
I had fun writing it, and amazingly, although I wrote it two years ago I'm not entirely ashamed of it.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6767942/1/Life-and-Death-in-the-Capital-Wasteland
120
Creativity / Re: ■ The Photography Megathread ■
« on: June 11, 2013, 10:47:49 AM »Any feedback from youse folks?
Should've centered it more, definitely. Also the overexposure in the center is really annoying.
I've got a set of photos from my trip to Boston last summer that I'm really happy with. Also I'm basically just posting links to my blog instead of pictures at this point. Check back to that stuff every day! I'm trying to post daily.
http://nickseitz.wordpress.com/2013/06/11/boston-in-black-and-white/