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Posted on 01/06/08 08:28:58 AM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply  |
At home with nature
I did this for a bit of fun some time back for a Digital Photo magazine challenge. Any thoughts welcome. Nick  |
Posted on 01/06/08 12:10:14 PM |
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David Asch
Tech Support Posts: 1913 Reply  |
Re: At home with nature
It's well integrated but the cows are a little lost and overpowered by the rest of the scene. I would have made them slightly larger. _________________ A happy-go-lucky chap, always dressed in black |
Posted on 01/06/08 2:50:35 PM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply |
Re: At home with nature
Thanks David Nick |
Posted on 01/06/08 4:45:02 PM |
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Ocker
* Posts: 54 Reply |
Re: At home with nature
I disagree. To me, the size of the cows is the whole point of the exercise. I cant really offer any criticism, I think it is wonderful. If anything, stronger shadows from the cows in the correct direction would help, but that just me, there's so much of interest in this composition. |
Posted on 01/06/08 7:11:10 PM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply |
Re: At home with nature
[/quoted] I disagree. To me, the size of the cows is the whole point of the exercise. I cant really offer any criticism, I think it is wonderful. If anything, stronger shadows from the cows in the correct direction would help, but that just me, there's so much of interest in this composition. [/quoted] Thanks Ocker, your comments are really appreciated. The early morning sun was shining through our kitchen window and having made a mental note of the direction, I headed down to the local meadow and captured the cows with the sun at the same angle. The shadows are natural, but I accept that they could have been enhanced slightly. This was a very early effort using Elements. Glad to say it did get published as a runner up. Nick |
Posted on 01/06/08 9:28:13 PM |
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Whaler
Visual Viking Posts: 330 Reply  |
Re: At home with nature
Hi Nick, I agree with Ocker; you have to get the shadows right, shadows are always important. In my opinion the cows on the pasture should be lit from behind (as the light on them comes from the window and not directly from the sun!). The cow on the outside seems to be lit head on eventhough the sunlight comes from the left and this could be corrected by adding som shadow in that cow's face. Another suggestion is do something about that green tray in the background. In my eyes it look like it's floating above the grass instead of sitting in it. If you would do these things I think you would have the perfect picture. _________________ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Posted on 02/06/08 00:18:51 AM |
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David Asch
Tech Support Posts: 1913 Reply |
Re: At home with nature
I wasn't saying they need to be a lot larger, just enough to make them more prominent in the scene; as it is, they are a little lost against those jars.
_________________ It must be Thursday, I never could get the hang of Thursdays |
Posted on 02/06/08 03:56:30 AM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply |
Re: At home with nature
Thanks for all your comments everyone. If I was to approach this now, the cows would certainly be more prominent and I'd increase the shadow behind the jars. Not sure that I totally agree regarding the direction of the lighting, but I would smudge the mask around the kettle tray to blend it better with the grass. I only had Elements 2 when I first started, which does not have masks and I've learned much since then. Nick |
Posted on 02/06/08 07:30:44 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7042 Reply  |
Re: At home with nature
The direction of the lighting seems fine to me - that on the cows seems a perfect match for the light coming from the window. And I like the subtlety of the size of the cows. I agree about the tray, though. The only slight problem for me is the brightness of the grass up against the window tiles. The tiles are very dark facing us, as there's no light on them - and so the base of the grass should be correspondingly dark, too, only becoming brighter where it's far enough from the tiles for the window light to reach it. |