My Dad 2/?

[Alpha_7]

To be a little more fair on my dad here is a little more then just his shadow. This shot for me personally captures my father in his element, rod in his hand and fish on the bite. Hope you like it too! As always C&C is more then welcome!



Click for larger!

[Potatis]

Superb!

[marcotrov]

Beautiful image Craig. Wonderful hues and composition
cheers
marco

[LittleB]

Craig, I like this one too, you have captured it well.

[Matt. K]

That is a beautiful image! Just so intimate, peaceful and timeless. You have done everything right and reaped the reward.

[Onyx]

Fantastic, I love the warm colour!

[Oneputt]

Again very nice Craig, the warm tones really make this image.

[leek]

This is a little like the dance of the seven veils as you gradually reveal what your Dad looks like This one is great too...

OT: That's one really painful avatar you have there Chi... It totally stuffs up my screen...

[Mal]

Again wonderful. It answers the question I had for image number one. He was carrying a fishing rod!
Love the colours in this.

[JED]

Beautiful capture of life's simple pleasures being enjoyed. The colour tones are superb.

[rokkstar]

Brilliant shot Craig!

[mitedo]

Hey Craig im using a CRT monitor just now & the colours look tops great capture

[sirhc55]

A moment in time well captured - my only critique would be the removal of the mast of the boat

[nito]

Its so unfair, I cant see the shot everyone is talking about. From all comments it looks like a superb shot.

[owen]

Hi alpha. This is a really sharp shot. There is a slight amount of detail in your fathers silhouette which adds to the shot I think. A great photo!

[Alpha_7]

Its so unfair, I cant see the shot everyone is talking about. From all comments it looks like a superb shot.

Nito what do you get instead ? when you try to see it ?
try click http://alpha7.potatis-gallery.com/dslr/_DSC5289-1stgo-small.jpg does that get you to the shot ?


Thanks for all the feedback, I really liked the shot but wasn't sure if it was my sentinements clouding my judgement so glad to hear other like it.

Chris - I migth have a play with the heal or clone tool see if I can disolve that mast away.. I was in two minds about it previously.. it helps set the location, but also destracts the focus of my dad.

Owen - I think I got lucky with the detail... now everone knows he wears glasses, but still haven't really seen his face

[nito]

I see nothing. Only text that says click for a bigger shot.

Thanks alpha for giving the link. Its really quite an elegant shot with excellent colour. The composition is perfect and truely does capture an essence of your father. Well Done, the reviews and raves were right.

[Geoff]

A moment in time well captured - my only critique would be the removal of the mast of the boat

Brilliant photo excellent suggestion

[Alex]

Excellent shot, Craig. Sets the mood.

Alex

[LostDingo]

Great work Craig

Well framed, good comp and good natural capture

[daniel_r]

Craig,

Well done. This is one of the best images I've seen you post. I'd be proud of that. Frame it and give it to your Dad as a gift.

fantastic job.

[Killakoala]

You can't beat a good silhouette for making the mind work. Great image as the others have said.

[Alpha_7]

Craig,

Well done. This is one of the best images I've seen you post. I'd be proud of that. Frame it and give it to your Dad as a gift.

fantastic job.

Thanks, I appreciate the compliment, I am hoping to maybe getting two prints one for him and one for me.


I don't this this last pic deserves a post of its own, I like the silhouette but just can't get the PP right for it. This was actually going to be my opening shot of the series, but it was too troublesome.

Hope your not all sick of my dad's silhouette.

[Geoff]

Are you serious Craig? I really like this last one!!

[Alpha_7]

Are you serious Craig? I really like this last one!!

Actually Geoff I am, I've really struggled with this shot and in the end this one has had a little boost in contrast and that is it...

I have a lot more morning shots I'd like to share, but I don't want to swamp everyone, a think a few shots of the sun rising over fishing trawlers are quiet nice the morning light is great!!

[stubbsy]

Craig

Your work is progressing at an astonishing rate. The first one is an exceptionally well done shot. The last one is a bit too rule of thirds for me (I'd crop the LHS a fair whack) as I'm more a neat and in the middle man

Have you tried the last one in B &W given it's pretty monochromatic anyway?

[rokkstar]

Got to echo Peters comments here Craig, your shots are improving at an astonishing rate.
The last one is great too. I like the positioning and the hint of colour in it.

[wendellt]

nice one craig this shot is very emotive but to me it looks a little vertically stretched, just me or did you do something funky with this image?

[Alpha_7]

Stubbsy - Thanks for the compliment all credit goes to everyones help here, without the forum I'd still be happily snapping in Landscape/Sport
Thanks for the feedback on the rule of thirds, this was cropped intentionally to obey the rules (which I've now learnt) for you benefit I'll post the orginal FF shot and also a black and white (more centred) shot.

Matt - Thanks, I like the hint of the sunrise in it too, it was one of the reason why I found PP this shot difficult.

Wendell - no stretching or maniuplation has taken place to create the illusion, not sure why you got the impression.

Cropped different and B&W


Original Shot

[stubbsy]

Craig

I think the B & W is the right treatment for this one as it makes the image so much stronger. In the colour your dad is part of the background whereas in the B & W he is isolated more form the rest of the image and this in turn makes him more of a lone figure in the scene. I think you made the right decision with your cropping vs the original un PP image, but, for my tastes like the neat and in the middle better.

So far as rules are concerned - don't fall for the trap of obeying them slavishly. You have an eye for the image and a developing skill set to go with it - go with your instincts when it comes to cropping. My experience is that when a crop looks right to me it usually does to other viewers (and strangely it often falls into rule of thirds or neat and in the middle without me thninking about it)

[Alpha_7]

While sifting through some of my photos and I came back to this one and the comments about cloning out the boats mast. Well while I feel my PP skills have improve since when the suggestion was made, I still don't think I could do it convincingly. Most my attempts have seemed pretty obvious. I've printed a large (8x12) print of it as is, and gave it to my grandparents and they were wrapt but at that size it was more annoying then it was on the screen.

So PP gurus, please offer me some suggestions on how to make the background more seamless. Thanks!
I've posted the photo below.

[owen]

hi craig. i just had a quick go that was quite successful. using the patch tool, drag a lasso around the mast. select that it is the source area up the top and the drag the selection to the coloured area to the left. Worked fine for the mast.

cheers,
owen.

edit:

forgive the shoddy selection near your old man's back... i can't use my good hand

[Alpha_7]

lol, I obviously have a lot to learn, if you can do that 1 handed, and it's not your good hand! I haven't used the patch tool before, another thing to fiddle with thanks!!

[owen]

to be honest i haven't used it before either but i appreciate the chance to learn how it works, no doubt i'll be making much more use out of it

[lostinsydney]

craig

here's a quick photoshop job from me


i could have done it a little better with tad more time.

[Alpha_7]

Looks damn good, can you explain the process (sorry, but I'm fairly clueless when it comes to this type of image manipulation).

[Slider]

Came in late on this one but that is a brilliant shot Craig. Well Done

[lostinsydney]

masking and tiny bit of cloing around the eddge. to explain better take a look at the psd file. it's really simple
http://www.lostinsydney.com/images/foru ... 06_v01.zip

i just got on here last night and not sure if one can post links. let me know if i need to remove it.

thanks
sumit

[Alpha_7]

Thanks LiS, posting links is fine, and BTW a big Welcome to the forum, seems like you'll fit right in, I appreciate the help and the PSD file!

Thank you!

[lostinsydney]

thanks for the warm welcome!

like i mentioned in my earlier post (first post) im new to dsrl or slr for that matter. i got lots to learn

thanks again
sumit

[flipfrog]

your dad is must love this portrait

10 outta 10

[DionM]

Really nice shot.

[CraigVTR]

Craig

Great shot, peacefull and warm.

Craig

[wmaburnett]

wonderful detail it your lens even got the invisable fishing line!
~William

[mudder]

Ah, such a calming, relaxing image of someone enjoying the peaceful setting and past-time... Color is great, nice and soft, well framed and composed, great feeling to the image...

[obzelite]

If ur using ps cs2 then the spot healing tool could fix that mast in two moves of the mouse.

Good shot either way imo