Maine Winter

[Dave Humphries]

Same cropped
D610#2 Kettle Cove #3-24-70-Winter HD2b by drummist53, on Flickr

Hi Jim (?),

I think you definitely have the artistic eye for this lark (photography), we just need to help you with some of the techniques ...

The most obvious problem with the frozen pond scene is uncorrected Chromatic Aberration (CA).
This is noticeable by the red/green fringes along light/dark edges which is worse the further from the lens centre.
Notice how it badly affects the two people on the right, but not (really) the person in the middle?
There's a similar example in the lighthouse shot too - most obvious in the framing on the building to left.

I don't know what software you use for PP (?), alas, the very limited EXIF data doesn't show me.
For example; in Photoshop/ACR (and I assume LR), you should be able to remove this by simply ticking a box.


You might want to invest in a three axis hot shoe spirit level to capture shots like this level and avoid the need for rotation in PP, I mention this since the lighthouse needed and I think this latter one does too.

Hope those two ideas help, Dave

PS

Could you do me a favour please?
Could you click Settings (right at the top),
then Edit Profile (on left)
and put your first name in the Real Name field
and where you are (roughly) in the Location field?
this helps everyone give you more personal and relevant answers - thanks in advance.

[zutty]

Hi Jim (?),

I think you definitely have the artistic eye for this lark (photography), we just need to help you with some of the techniques ...

The most obvious problem with the frozen pond scene is uncorrected Chromatic Aberration (CA).
This is noticeable by the red/green fringes along light/dark edges which is worse the further from the lens centre.
Notice how it badly affects the two people on the right, but not (really) the person in the middle?
There's a similar example in the lighthouse shot too - most obvious in the framing on the building to left.

I don't know what software you use for PP (?), alas, the very limited EXIF data doesn't show me.
For example; in Photoshop/ACR (and I assume LR), you should be able to remove this by simply ticking a box.


You might want to invest in a three axis hot shoe spirit level to capture shots like this level and avoid the need for rotation in PP, I mention this since the lighthouse needed and I think this latter one does too.

Hope those two ideas help, Dave

PS

Could you do me a favour please?
Could you click Settings (right at the top),
then Edit Profile (on left)
and put your first name in the Real Name field
and where you are (roughly) in the Location field?
this helps everyone give you more personal and relevant answers - thanks in advance.

Thanks for the suggestions Dave. I have entered the info you requested. I am still learning the basics of photography and appreciate all the help I can get. Here is a copy of the photo with no PP. I'm not sure what you mean by a 3 spirit shoe leveler though. I have LR5, Photoshop cc, Photomatix amongst others for post work and am still learning as I go.
D610#2 K.Cove #3_088 by drummist53, on Flickr

[zutty]

And here is my first photo slightly rotated clockwise..But to my eyes it now looks less level than it did in the 1st place.

16498805767_e555feacbd_o by drummist53, on Flickr

[Barbara Ponder]

Beautiful scenes and photos.

[Texas Dave]

Hi Jim (?),


You might want to invest in a three axis hot shoe spirit level to capture shots like this level and avoid the need for rotation in PP, I mention this since the lighthouse needed and I think this latter one does too.

I assume that's a level to be used in the field?

[Wavelength]

First image is very good; second is excellent; its trimmed image also has very good visual effect; please keep up your good work

[Dave Humphries]

I assume that's a level to be used in the field?

Hot Shoe level (at Amazon.co.uk)

At any one moment, only two levels are useful, the third is for when you use the camera in a portrait orientation. If you get a two axis one, you usually won't have that ability.

Dave

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Jeff,

In post #23; I think you slightly over did the rotation on first shot.

Thanks for the suggestions Dave. I have entered the info you requested.

Thanks.

I'm not sure what you mean by a 3 spirit shoe leveler though.

Hot Shoe level (at Amazon.co.uk)

At any one moment, only two levels are useful, the third is for when you use the camera in a portrait orientation. If you get a two axis one, you usually won't have that ability.

I am still learning the basics of photography and appreciate all the help I can get. Here is a copy of the photo with no PP. I have LR5, Photoshop cc, Photomatix amongst others for post work and am still learning as I go.

If I were you I'd keep things simple by just using ONE of those for now - you can do everything you need to with Photoshop CC - at least until you discover you can't.

Trying to master them all would be like trying to learn drums, piano and guitar simultaneously - which I'd guess is not recommended - they can pretty much all play the same tune; but the skills needed differ and they won't sound the same.

I'd recommend a good book, although many prefer viewing videos to assimilate the process quicker. I would steer clear of 'randomly picked' YouTube videos though; they are not all great and some will inevtiably contradict others (because there are so many ways to achieve the same effect and each of us prefers a certain way), which will just add to confusion.

So I recommend finding someone 'you get along with' and stick to 'their way', consistency is key.

If funds permit, sign up to somewhere like Lynda.com or Kelby Training (I'm with Lynda) - they'll be higher quality, although I'd still recommend not switching between presenters until you know what's what.

Good luck, Dave

[Marie Hass]

Your images remind me of some of the painters of New England landscapes.

I love the pastel colours of both. I thought your orientation on the axis was fine - not shift.

I liked the almost pano-effect of #2 edit done by Dave Humphries, but believe that is also a matter of choice.

Both images are beautiful. They would be awesome in a quietly stated living room. Or a woman's office. Very appealing.

Marie

[zutty]

Hi Jeff,

In post #23; I think you slightly over did the rotation on first shot.




Thanks.



Hot Shoe level (at Amazon.co.uk)

At any one moment, only two levels are useful, the third is for when you use the camera in a portrait orientation. If you get a two axis one, you usually won't have that ability.



If I were you I'd keep things simple by just using ONE of those for now - you can do everything you need to with Photoshop CC - at least until you discover you can't.

Trying to master them all would be like trying to learn drums, piano and guitar simultaneously - which I'd guess is not recommended - they can pretty much all play the same tune; but the skills needed differ and they won't sound the same.

I'd recommend a good book, although many prefer viewing videos to assimilate the process quicker. I would steer clear of 'randomly picked' YouTube videos though; they are not all great and some will inevtiably contradict others (because there are so many ways to achieve the same effect and each of us prefers a certain way), which will just add to confusion.

So I recommend finding someone 'you get along with' and stick to 'their way', consistency is key.

If funds permit, sign up to somewhere like Lynda.com or Kelby Training (I'm with Lynda) - they'll be higher quality, although I'd still recommend not switching between presenters until you know what's what.

Good luck, Dave

Dave..Thanks so much for taking time to reply. Right now I use LR most of the time, including as a library for my work. I have read and watched much of the Lynda.com stuff as well. I feel that my compositional instincts are my strength right now. Learning to determine my best post proc choices are my biggest challenge right now. My mindset as a musician was always to treat my instruments as tools and to focus on the music. In photography I am not as knowledgeable yet, so I'm still learning to use my tools rather than solely working on my creativity..But I am determined to improve and create some beauty in this world yet...Thanks again!

[zutty]

Your images remind me of some of the painters of New England landscapes.

I love the pastel colours of both. I thought your orientation on the axis was fine - not shift.

I liked the almost pano-effect of #2 edit done by Dave Humphries, but believe that is also a matter of choice.

Both images are beautiful. They would be awesome in a quietly stated living room. Or a woman's office. Very appealing.

Marie

Marie,
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement.It gives me much needed confidence to improve and keep going..