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Another Parkeharrison-inspired image. (For the previous one, see Giver of Light.)
Please tell me what you think of this image, I'd really like to get detailed feedback on this one!
Thanks for looking,
Conrad
| Camera: | Canon EOS 20D |
| Lens: | Canon EF 22-55 mm |
| Recording media: | Digital |
| Title: | Provider of Perspective |
| Username: | 
conrad |
| Uploaded: | 5 Mar 2006 - 11:13 PM |
| Tags: | Big picture, Digitally manipulated, Frame, Grain, Hc, Highly commended, Parkeharrison, Perspective, Sepia |
| VS Mode Rating |
Unrated These stats show the percentage of wins and the rating score that your photo has achieved. You can go to the VS Mode by clicking on this icon. Signup to e2Signup to e2 to see which photo this has won or lost against in the vs mode |
| Votes: | 34 |
| Modifications Welcome (Upload a Modification) |
Comments
Another great shot, I like this one even more that the last.
Stu
Click
Certainly interesting to look at Conrad, especially large, where it seems to draw you into the picture.
I'd like to know how you persuaded someone to stand in the middle of a field with their hands in the air though?! 
Dave
Very clever shot, love the toning and grain! Had a look at your portfolio, you've got some great stuff there! Well done on the HC!
Julie
Hmmm, well, I'm afraid that's me, Dave - if you hadn't guessed that already. I must admit I had to try and ignore some bewildered looks from people who were walking their dogs - but we all have to suffer for our art, right?! ;-D
Thanks, Dave, Stu and Julie!
You too, Pete!
Conrad
I like this Conrad
The only things I'm not so sure about are: 1) the amount of grain, 2) that the frame is much sharper than the man and looks a little too "placed" (and it has no shadow).
But they're only minor niggles, because when it's surreal you can look past them 
Matt
Thanks, everyone.
Matt - Interesting comments. Since I'd really like to improve the image, if possible, I have a few questions for you (and others are invited to join in and give their opinions, too!):
- Do you indeed think it would help to have less grain, and, if so: why?
- Are the lack of a shadow and the sharpness of the frame the only reasons why you think the frame looks too "placed", or are there other reasons as well?
To be honest, the surreal character of the image justified, in my thinking, leaving it like this, but I'm beginning to wonder if it might indeed improve if I did something about it.
The shadow, I think, might be difficult. If I try to think where it should fall, I think it might be, due to the height at which it's being "held", exactly in that dark spot just to the left of that bush, in which case you wouldn't see it anyway - but I could be wrong.
And the frame: That's obviously been taken from another image, and therefore has a different resolution in relation to the rest of this image. How do I solve that problem?
Any suggestions are highly appreciated - thanks in advance!
Conrad
Its a clever piece, no doubt. I too think the grain is a bit overdone.
Detailed (i.e. hypercritical) comments: The lighting on the frame doesn't match that on the man which makes it look a little unreal (but since it obviously is - that doesn't matter too much). The frame is a little off center in the mans hands, not sure if that was deliberate or not, but I think centered would have been better. Also it might have been an idea to give the man a plank or something to lift, which would have made his posture a little more realistic.
Good work though, overall it works well.
Sean - Thank you very much for your detailec comments!
But oh boy, I think we're getting into areas of PhotoShop experience I don't have (yet) - I'd really have to get somebody's help in order to fix the lighting on the frame, I think. But I'll ask my wife and see if she can come up with something, she's been using PhotoShop a lot longer than I.
But youve lost me with the suggestion about the plank - do you mean instead of the frame? Because that would defeat the purpose of the whole idea. Or do you mean a plank with the frame on it? Why? Just wondering...
You're right about the frame being off-centre in my hands (it's little old me in there...) - I never thought to check that, suppose I should have. Had my mind too much on getting the contents of the frame exactly right. Good point!
Conrad
Conrad - here are a few pointers:
* You can add a very, very slight amount of gaussian blur to the frame (maybe 0.4 would be enough). Has to be judged by eye.
* You can correct the lighting on the frame this way:
- Add a new layer above the frame
- Change the blend mode to "Soft Light"
- Group the layer (so it only affects the frame and nothing else)
- Now use the gradient tool, or a soft brush and paint at 5% or 10% in white or black to lighten or darken (respectively).
* The edges of the frame are also a little "hard". Select the frame (control click on the layer), and add a layer mask. Now with the layer mask selected, run a small gaussian blur - this will smooth out the hard edges. You can also use the blur tool on the mask to do this locally.
* The bush's horizontal position is the centre line at the man's head. The frame would extend left and right of that. Easiest way is:
- add a new layer
- blend mode to multiply
- layer opacity to 20%
- paint with a soft black brush to add a shadow.
Shadows don't have to be much to add to the realism. I discovered this on this image where the matches seemed "placed" until I put just the hint of shadow.
Hope that helps!
Matt
Conrad, regarding the plank, I mean to give him something with weight to hold; you'd clone it out and replace with the frame. At the moment it looks like the frame has no weight.
You could try using the render lighting effects on the frame, and it looks to me if you rotated it 180 it might look better - there is a shadow on the rhs and a highlight on the lhs; with some added dodge and burn you could probably simulate the same side light as on the arms.
Sean, thanks for that further explanation! To be honest, I'm not worried about giving the impression the frame had no weight, due to the surreal nature of the image. But I do care about the lighting, so I'm definitely going to have a look at that. Thanks for making such detailed suggestions!
Conrad
Clever! You must be ever so strong! (Where's the emoticon for 'tongue in cheek'?)
Good image. Well worked!
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