Hi Bob,
The best bit of advice I can give is don't think "horizon", think about what should be vertical - then you'll see that even on the foreground handrails, they aren't.
Expanding a little for everyone's benefit ...
A vertical, judged appropriately (i.e. from the centre line, not one side or the other) doesn't tend to change as much with viewpoint because the camera is likely to be shooting fairly horizontally; i.e. not pointing up or down too much, when it matters.
Levelling from a horizontal element that you are not absolutely parallel to is the best way to ensure it's wrong
... and how do I know this? Well you guess
Another lesson learned of course you are absolutely right, makes sense.
Thank you Dave
In this case I went right back to where I started. Using a centerline verticals.
I think I was fixated on the horizon lines from past pictures, and the vertical just didn't come into play in my mind. This was great for me, it actually opened my mind to look at not only the horizon but check those verticals as well. Especially in this type of picture.
That's a great scene Bob. Definitely had the potential to be too busy but for me the angle that you've taken the photo at gives a perspective to the scene that holds it together. There's a good range of tones in there that serve to highlight the detail in the elements of your photo.
It might not be to everyone's tastes but it certainly done well.
Thank you Mal, I have to mix it up a bit if not for myself but for others as well. I'm glad the angle was noticed, I had one straight on, but it seemed so mundane and just by stepping to the side it brought a new perspective to the image. I have another idea for next week and in three weeks I'm headed to Sedona, Arizona. Hope to have lots of new opportunity there with a complete different format as to what I've been shooting. Wow, I'm thinking three to four weeks away already.
This is the Los Angeles Cathedral. I walked around looking for a spot that I could get the full width. Not easy, as the court house is across the street. So I opted this spot, but had to remove a bit of siniage, street lights, and some railing with stacked chairs in the way. The trees and bushes needs to be part of it as the job to remove them, hmmm, several days maybe. But I think they help with the picture, not just because I elected to leave them. Please feel free to comment as aways.
I might add that I did 90% of PP in Lightroom this time. I think I prefer Elements. I had to do the cloning there and cropping as well. Perhaps I just know it better, Elements that is.
Last edited by SpiderBob; 17th March 2012 at 05:38 PM.
Missed your Playground! That looks good - and I love the way you managed to get all of the people and cars out of the way for this shot. Is it me or is there a bit of a pincushioning effect with this photo? Also just noticed the shadow on the front structure on the left - if you can come back at a different time of the day when the sun lights that object up instead and get everyone out of the way once more, I think it will be perfect.
You beat me to the Palm tree It looks good in terms of lines and angles. Can I suggest a graduated tint at the top or a bit of vignetting to darken the sky and bring a bit more detail out in the clouds
Mal, I just might have a problem stopping foot and car traffic later afternoon, but I'll see what I can do . As for the last one, here is a bit of a more defined cloud cover. I can vignette left and right, but have not figured out yet vertical. I've done a tint before, but have to figure out how I did that. You don't use something often enough, I tend to forget
Hi Bob,
Yes, that is better with a bit darker sky.
Cheers,
Thank you Dave.
Or too much time on my hands - although others would argue otherwise.
Have you discovered the graduated filter in Lightroom? It's what you can use to do horizontal, vertical, and diagonal adjustments - it's in the same place that the clone tool is.
That's what I'm talkin' about