Project 52 by Kerry S

[Geoff F]

Just a thought, Kerry, but if you are 'advertising' candles shouldn't they be lit?

Yes, I know, candle flames are so difficult to photograph; but I think it would make a lot of difference.

Your basic photography here is fine; but at the moment it just doesn't 'shout candles' at me.

[kezmal]

LOL Thanks John
Geoff, thanks, I do agree - I do have some photos with the candles lit - but as you say it is hard to take a decent photo whilst they are lit. I shall keep trying Perhaps that can be my Project for the week!

[Geoff F]

It may need two separate shots at different exposures. But that could be difficult to combine if the flames are 'moving around'. Possibly need a manual alignment and some work with layers and masks.

Now that is a project to think about!

[Donald]

Kerry

#2 of the Week 7 threesome set illustrates, for me, the point that when using something that's a bit different and would not normally be expected (such as a mask), it needs to be clear what it is.

What I mean is that we can very quickly compute in #1 and #3 that there is a mask being used as an accessory (and it works very well, I think). But in #2 we're not shown the whole of the mask and we (I) have to stop and think what it is I'm looking at. It's not immediately obvious what it is. And that devalues what would be a marketing image in that it takes my attention away from the message I'm supposed to be computing/getting. Does that make any sense? And, of course, you and others may totally disagree with me.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Kerry,

My thoughts were actually that unless you also make and sell the masks, they are a distraction from "the product" in all the shots, not just the second. (sorry)

Perhaps if they were in the background, unlit and out of focus more, they may be less of an issue.

I must try some lit candle shots myself, I don't see the problem
I mean; "how hard can it be?" (to borrow a line from Top Gear)

So that's a future week's project for both of us

[kezmal]

Thanks for the feedback Will try some things this week. With the masks in the shots, my business name is Majjak - a play on Magic, using my families initials. Thus the use of the masks, to give a magical feel??? Perhaps a top hat, bunny and wand may be better LOL. As I said, I'll try a few things and see how things go. My creative juices seem to be waning of late Or perhaps its that my daughter Jasmine is learning to play the Recorder, and her at home practice is driving me to distraction

[Goldcoastgolfer]

It may need two separate shots at different exposures. But that could be difficult to combine if the flames are 'moving around'. Possibly need a manual alignment and some work with layers and masks.

Now that is a project to think about!

That's a project for when we're both on holidays I think! We haven't finished fully learning about Lightroom, let along jumping into layers, masks, and merging images. I think this will be an exercise in creative lighting

[kezmal]

So Week 8 see's me testing the waters with portraiture. I'm not the best at taking a portrait shot, I get a little impatient, especially if my subject is messing around LOL. However my little girl, gave me a few minutes and we managed to get some nice shots

[Donald]

As I've said many times, I feel nervous commenting on portraiture.

I wondered if I would be tempted to try and tone down the severity of that highlight running down the clothing on her shoulder. Just lassoo it and pull the curve down a bit at the top right?

But I do like the highlight on the back of her neck and on her jawline just below her ear. Her skin looks like porcelain.

What I love most of all is the mood and atmosphere. It may have been chaos and mayhem for all I know, but this image is so calm and serene. Superb bit of work.

[kezmal]

Totally agree Donald Hows this?



Just had to have Mal show me what to do LOL....still working Lightroom out

[JPS]

I did not know you could select a small area and adjust as suggested by Donald.
Each day I seem to learn something from this site.

Kerry, I think this picture is lovely.
My 3 boy's are all grown up now and never seems to have any time for me to take pictures of them; maybe an opportunity if and when Grandchildren come along. Lol

Once again great shot, well done.
John

[SpiderBob]

Now i like that, beautiful picture.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

I did not know you could select a small area and adjust as suggested by Donald.
Each day I seem to learn something from this site.

Kerry, I think this picture is lovely.
My 3 boy's are all grown up now and never seems to have any time for me to take pictures of them; maybe an opportunity if and when Grandchildren come along. Lol

Once again great shot, well done.
John

We did it a different way to how Donald as in Lightroom there isn't a lasso tool. Instead, we zoomed and used the Adjustment Brush to selectively reduce the exposure in the area. It requires a fairly light touch but works very well if you can use a bit of finesse. In this case we also applied some graduated filters on the right side first to reduce the overall exposure on the rights side of the photo before selectively reducing the exposure on Jazz's shoulder.

The Adjustment Brush is also useful when you need to get wrinkles out of the background sheet

[Geoff F]

I did not know you could select a small area and adjust as suggested by Donald.
Each day I seem to learn something from this site.

The danger with the lasso method, John, is that unless you feather the edges sufficiently you can end up with hard noticeable edges.

Personally, I prefer to work with Adjustment Layers and edit a mask with a soft edged low opacity brush to feather the edges and create a smooth blend. Rather similar to an Adjustment Brush I suppose.

There are often so many different ways of achieving the same result; and none of them are right or wrong, it's just a case of using what suits you best.

[kezmal]

Thanks so much Bob and John

[kezmal]

Thought I'd add this one in as well, just because LOL!!

[Wendy Stanford]

Hi Kerry, I like the colour image over the B&W, it is very soft, I think the demure downcasting of the eyes fits the culture you are portraying, and gives the sense that the fan has just been lowered and exposed the face, the only little thing is the bright light behind the head is a little distracting, otherwise wonderful portrait.

[kezmal]

Thanks Wendy As I said I dont do portraiture much at all and this was the first time I actually set up for a shot. I was trying to diffuse that lamp light in the back with white sheeting. My 'assistant' aka goldcoastgolfer and I agree he wasnt doing his job correctly and holding the sheet up properly LOL.... I also like the colour one, as you said, her demure downcast eyes is the look I was after.

[kezmal]

Week 9 - OMG I have not had the time or opportunity to take photos, we've had a very wet week and I've been so busy So I thought I'd have a play with PP - these are some flowers my lovely hubby got me for our Anniversary (Valentines Day) so they're fairly recent





I really love some of the photos Daisy Mae (Sharon) does and would love to achieve something to the level that she achieves - one day And a good few hours to play around.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Well I like the flowers that I gave you I think prefer the first one in black and white - there's texture in the flower that isn't overwhelmed by colour or different tones - just a gradual fading out of the light to the edges. The second one looks good to me but just doesn't appeal as much as the first - I think it's the green bits in the middle (whatever they're called ) being out of focus that take away from the flower a little. Because they contrast so strongly against the red, they become a bit of a point of focus. There's also the edge of a leaf just in the background of the second photo that I think would look better cloned out.