DSLRUsers.com

Posted: **Sun May 14, 2006 10:36 pm**

Here are a few portrait shots taken at Vesak Day ceremonies at the Phuoc Hue Monastery, Sydney. Vesak Day celebrates the birth of the baby Buddha and is a very important event in the Buddhist calendar.

While portraits are not my usual style of photography, I try occasionally to stretch myself. More of these shots are HERE. To see a larger version click a pic. All of these images have had basically the same treatment using some contrast & colour adjustment, Nik Color Efex Classical Soft Focus filter (selective mode, with filter painted away from eyes and lips & tiaras).

All shots were taken with the 24-120 VR lens and a D2h.

This young girl in the first image here was being instructed by her mother to smile for the cameraman and she just kept saying she wouldn't do it. I like a challenge. :wink:

...

And a group shot. At the start of the ceremony these girls lead the monks into the Vesak Day ceremony.

OK, so she's not a flower girl, but this young lady bailed us up and asked for one of us to take her picture. She was VERY talkative and gave us the 3rd degree about whether we were newspaper photogs or not:

Posted: **Sun May 14, 2006 10:45 pm**

Nice SHOTS!!!!!

I have very similar ones too, as you would expect

Posted: **Sun May 14, 2006 10:50 pm**

Peter, mate i think these shots are it and a bit mate, there is nothing i would change and looks great. All the girls are very cute and looks like there was some good models there to keep you busy during the celebrations, well done mate.

Posted: **Sun May 14, 2006 11:31 pm**

Peter
Lovely.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 12:08 am**

Nice Peter.

Love the group shot.

Alex

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 12:26 am**

Peter, your tasteful PP complements these images well.

You've captured these images with a sense of formality, yet not overwhelmingly so.

#4 - it may be that it's got a strong cyan/blue subject matter... but something keeps telling me the WB is off just slightly towards the cool end compared to #1-3. I dunno.

Looks like you've got the D2H sorted anyway, you'll be set with the X.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 12:29 am**

Nicely done, especially the groups shot.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 12:57 am**

Fantastic shots mate, well composed and very well chosen subjects.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 8:19 am**

Nice pics Peter, I especially like the group shot.

From what I read you have taken a liking to the D2 series camera now. :wink:

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 8:25 am**

huynhie wrote:Nice pics Peter, I especially like the group shot.

From what I read you have taken a liking to the D2 series camera now.

Yes, he ordered it and should be in his hand shortly after he played with my D2 over the weekend.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 8:33 am**

birddog114 wrote:
huynhie wrote:Nice pics Peter, I especially like the group shot.

From what I read you have taken a liking to the D2 series camera now.

Yes, he ordered it and should be in his hand shortly after he played with my D2 over the weekend.

It's good to see that he made a gutsy decision without whimpering around and consulting the wife/girlfriend. :lol:

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 8:43 am**

huynhie wrote:
birddog114 wrote:
huynhie wrote:Nice pics Peter, I especially like the group shot.

From what I read you have taken a liking to the D2 series camera now.

Yes, he ordered it and should be in his hand shortly after he played with my D2 over the weekend.

It's good to see that he made a gutsy decision without whimpering around and consulting the wife/girlfriend.

Before he says "YES", he did ask Monty :lol:

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 8:47 am**

Peter,

Lovely photos!

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 8:50 am**

So did you receive a call from Monty and take the order.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 9:01 am**

huynhie wrote:So did you receive a call from Monty and take the order.

Peter did, he received Monty's SMS on his Jasjar. :lol:

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 9:13 am**

birddog114 wrote:
huynhie wrote:So did you receive a call from Monty and take the order.

Peter did, he received Monty's SMS on his Jasjar.

After indulging in the D2X he should now buy Monty a Jasjar to even things up.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 9:16 am**

huynhie wrote:
birddog114 wrote:
huynhie wrote:So did you receive a call from Monty and take the order.

Peter did, he received Monty's SMS on his Jasjar.

After indulging in the D2X he should now buy Monty a Jasjar to even things up.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 9:30 am**

Beautiful photos Peter,

The expression on the first one is priceless.

I'm sure it would have been a great outing. I'm looking forward to the day that I'll be able to go.

Cheers,

André

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 11:26 am**

Nice stuff Peter. How did you get the soft look?

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 11:37 am**

PiroStitch wrote:Nice stuff Peter. How did you get the soft look?

Nik Color Efex Classical Soft Focus filter (selective mode, with filter painted away from eyes and lips & tiaras).

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 1:00 pm**

Wayne

First off, I'm a big fan of these filters and use them on almost every image I PP to get the look I want. They are dead simple to use and work fantastically well. You can download a demo from the Nik Software site.

To explain the soft look in more detail here's how Nik Color Efex works in selective mode (BTW it only does this in the version for Photoshop. The version for Nikon Capture only works globally):

In PSCS there is a floating palette containing all the Nik Color Efex filters (see the link at the end for a screen shot and more detail). You select your filter from this instead of the version that shows in the filters menu
In this case I chose classical soft focus
this then displays a dialog with two sliders and a drop down box to choose 1 of 3 versions. A thumbnail shows the result on your image.
I chose option 3 and reduced the two sliders slightly.
closed the dialog then filled the image with the filter (it's basically done as a layer mask)
next I chose erase from the nik palette and a soft brush the standard way
using the brush I then erased the eyes, lips, tiaras and any jewellery so that all stayed nice and sharp.
finally click apply and the result is made permanent

I use this feature A LOT and to read heaps more about the selective mode go HERE

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 11:09 pm**

One I missed first time around. Not worth it's own thread, but I just love the composition on this one.

Posted: **Mon May 15, 2006 11:18 pm**

That one you've just added is the best so far from the day Peter.

Posted: **Tue May 16, 2006 1:27 am**

Thanks for making me look like a dumbass Craig

It's all good mate.

Stubbsy - thanks for the detailed info. *sigh* more techniques to toy with - it never ends.

Posted: **Thu May 18, 2006 1:16 am**

huynhie wrote:That one you've just added is the best so far from the day Peter.

Totally agree. Pay that one. :shock:

Posted: **Thu May 18, 2006 10:45 am**

PiroStitch wrote:Thanks for making me look like a dumbass Craig It's all good mate.

Certainly wasn't my intention, it's all to easy to enjoy the picture and forgot to read or take in the text around it.

Peter this last one is lovely, the girls are just full of mischief and you've captured it beautifully.

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Flower Girls @ Vesak Day

Flower Girls @ Vesak Day