2020 Project 52 by Antonio Correia - 1rd Quarter

[Antonio Correia]

Post #37, nice effort, which program or method did you use to blend the two captures, I ask because Photoshop/Elements has a blending mode filter that allows you to do this type of editing?

Thank you John.
1. Open the 2 images on layers.
2. As the two photos were shot at different distances the persons were at different scales. I changed the opacity of the top layer so I could see the one bellow and adjust the scale accordingly.
3. Opacity to 100% and flatten layers
4. Automatic selection of persons to separate them from the background
5. Worked on one person and then on the other using masks. I was not seeing the background then
6. Background layer ON
7. Unsharp mask applied

Basically it's this.
What blending modes filter are you referring to, John ?

[Shadowman]

It goes by different names depending on version you have but under Elements 14 its called Photomerge, it allows you to take portions of different photos blend together and has feathering tool to smooth out any rough edges.

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you John ! I was not aware of that feature.
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This week I moved to the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 mounted on the Sony.
Today it is a poor picture shot at the maximum aperture. I try to make several using the same focal lens so I can group them in sets, since this is some kind of experiment/test.
I had a lens hood in rubber but the thread was damaged when the Nikormat EL fell on a solid marble ground. It didn't broke. Still working. If it was today with the 7 ... it would be in pieces. But a new lens hood is on the way.
It was photographed this morning in a moment I could spare.
Yellow focus peaking.

50mm is the lens I always have felt as a neutral which in fact it is. The one I like least. Until now.

[bje07]

A suggestion: crop until you keep only the nice bubbles in the background, like this:

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Jean for your comment and idea.
Perhaps I will do something better tomorrow. At least I hope so !
I will try something better with more enhanced bokeh !

[skitterbug]

Back to Sony 7 III and 24 GM ! Simply gorgeous !

The boy may not be in perfect focus - which is true - but I like this shot.
The blue jacket was almost in fire !

Hi António - I've enjoyed looking at your work and the discussions you have provided to explain your process and equipment. I especially like this image! You've caught the reflection of the candles perfectly, in my opinion! Well done!
I'm glad you are tackling the challenge of a 2020 P52!

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you sandy for your comment.
You do not have a P52 in 2020, do you ?

The photo is not perfect as far as I would like it to be ! He is not in perfect focus as I still struggling with the focus on the Sony...

Cheers !

[skitterbug]

Thank you sandy for your comment.
You do not have a P52 in 2020, do you ?

The photo is not perfect as far as I would like it to be ! He is not in perfect focus as I still struggling with the focus on the Sony...

Cheers !

Hi Antonio - Yes, I have had P52 projects for the past few years but I've run out of ideas for a weekly posting. So instead of a weekly project, I am going to do more of a hit and miss display of pictures (link). I want to keep the images in one place along with all the excellent help and suggestions that I receive. As I explained in the first post of my thread, if I don't set some type of project up, I won't be motivated.

I believe you will enjoy watching your own progress while doing a P52 and I know I will enjoy viewing your work!

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Sandy for your lines.
The lack of motivation is something I also struggle with but I have time (retired) and some lenses which I opted to change every week, along with the camera.
I try to use one lens at a time for a week, or so. It doesn't mean that during this period of time I can't change lenses or camera to what comes up...
This makes me see with the mm I have on the camera which is quite interesting and makes me to know the camera. To know where the commands are, discover new ones, new features, problems, errors , corrections to be make...
And yes today I made more shots with the Nikon 50mm after a detour on the 24mm or the Olympus... never mind. I do what is important at the moment, revealing here my difficulties, successes and un-successes photographs. All makes part of the work and evolution.

So, today I have been to an old house where an exhibition of painting by a friend is being held. As it is 50mm I couldn't do much of the area but I shot this one. BTW - I also shot with the 24 but that is for later.
Thank you for your comments. I will have a look at the thread you pointed to ! I have subscribed it !

[Chataignier]

Thank you Geoff and Manfred for the comments
.....stuff deleted

Splendid shot, much better cropped tighter. Lots of possible scenarios - I quite like : "he'll never know I broke my new year resolution already if I can keep the smell of smoke out of the room".

[Antonio Correia]

Back to the A7III + 24mm in an unsuccessful stacked photo.
I hope to get back to this photo and others to get them better.

[skitterbug]

Thank you Sandy for your lines.
The lack of motivation is something I also struggle with but I have time (retired) and some lenses which I opted to change every week, along with the camera.
I try to use one lens at a time for a week, or so. It doesn't mean that during this period of time I can't change lenses or camera to what comes up...
This makes me see with the mm I have on the camera which is quite interesting and makes me to know the camera. To know where the commands are, discover new ones, new features, problems, errors , corrections to be make...
And yes today I made more shots with the Nikon 50mm after a detour on the 24mm or the Olympus... never mind. I do what is important at the moment, revealing here my difficulties, successes and un-successes photographs. All makes part of the work and evolution.

So, today I have been to an old house where an exhibition of painting by a friend is being held. As it is 50mm I couldn't do much of the area but I shot this one. BTW - I also shot with the 24 but that is for later.
Thank you for your comments. I will have a look at the thread you pointed to ! I have subscribed it !

Hi Antonio - I am an amateur so for me to make any suggestions about how to improve images would be based only what I like to see. And I am always eager to read what others say about an image. I will enjoy following along on your thread!

I especially enjoy this image of the old house floor. I'll be curious to see if anyone has any suggestions or comments about it.

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Sandy !
Sandy I also lack motivation. Sometimes - even today - I made a few shots, came home, saw what I had done and erased all because I didn't like them.
But if we insist and photograph the most trivial things - even with little motivation - we tend to understand the setting of our camera, the lens and a panoplia of little details.
I have other shots in this house. More difficult ones. I insist and do things wrong. I insist or rather... persists.
Like the kitchen for example. A small disaster. Something to repeat.
Cheers !

[Antonio Correia]

"Quietude" is the title of a friend's painting exhibition held in the old house I have been photographing recently.
This is a shot from today, very fresh !
The setting was carefully prepared. I asked the young girl so seat there - she was somewhere already looking to her phone - positioned the door on the left carefully to avoid nightlights from outside, position my self carefully on the stair sitting on a step with the camera in position it looked better.
I made some 5 or 6 shots. Aperture priority of course with a slight compensation adjustment.
This time I like it if the bench is a bit cut which detail I dislike. Something better must be done.
Photograph detail - 24mm FF

[Geoff F]

The kitchen scene works well for me, Antonio.

With the Quietude image, I wonder if the right side is a bit on the 'heavy' side and adds too much confusing detail which distracts from the main subject? Would you get a stronger image by a crop on the right, resulting in a square image or even losing a little from the left side as well and going to 4 x 5 ratio? Focus and exposure are excellent on both of those photos.

[Shadowman]

Nicely exposed posts 51 and 53 however too much clipping of objects in the first and slightly so in the second although getting most of the elements within the frame must've been quite a chore.

[Antonio Correia]

I must go out now and had only time to recreate the previous photograph.
Again, Geoff is right. Again, the crop is better this way.
See you later !
Oh ! Have a nice week-end

[Geoff F]

That is exactly what I was thinking about, Antonio. And with the tighter crop that missing part of the bench leg looks like it was a deliberate part of the composition.

[Antonio Correia]

@ John, I have not moved a bit the objects in the kitchen.
With the crop factor of 4/5 I was not able to get more objects in. But this is just an excuse. The fact is that the perspective correction did not allow me to make a larger crop to 3/5
Thank you for commenting John !
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@ Geoff, this time I am going definitively adopting "your" crop factor. I am totally catechized !
However, I do not like that much noise in her trousers... I am not sure if I am not going to start over with other photographies, the same scene, position, site...
It is funny your remark on the bench. One did not mean to cut the leg of the bench but as it was done we say, it was deliberate. Well done, well done...
Thank you for commenting Geoff !
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The day I made the image above, I tried to make some shots of the exhibition. Here is one of them. Not bad is it ?
Always 24mm FF

[Antonio Correia]

The coming week I will be mostly, taking pictures with the equipment shown bellow.
I started yesterday afternoon in a stroll and re-started today in the morning, when having breakfast...