Constructive feedback on this one picture I took today

[Andy Phillips]

[img][/img]
If you just keep going, change the morphology, and add grain, you can produce the most amzing result.

the further away from this you get the better it becomes.

Kyrre has sent me the raw file, I am looking forward to playing with it.

Andrew

[Norseman]

Andrew,

While it's cool playing around and creating effects it does take you into a different league in photography altogether. Cool in itself but I guess not really "proper".

I guess when it comes to this picture in particular Robert Capa was quite right in saying "If your pictures aren't good enough you're not close enough!"

Appreciate all the feedback guys!

Kyrre

[Andy Phillips]

I don't agree!

Why do pictures have to be "perfect" representations of the subject. Art is at the end of the day someones interpretation of something be it visual or otherwise.

I happen to think the shot is very effective, the framing is a bit off if you want to be critical, but I like the basic composition. So why not work on it and produce something a bit different.

In a lot of the photography competitions (not just underwater) there is a category for "modified" images. I guess because of what I do this facinates me. It might even draw me back to taking stills, but then again I doubt it, I am just begining to suss out video editing.

Take care all,

Andrew

[greekbird]

Hi, I quite like the shot, it's sortof moody, atmospheric, perhaps the framing 's not quite there but i like the feel.
i think the B&W effort was unsucessful tho...and the colour version after because both seem to have lost the atmosphere which is the thing that makes the 'original' worth. Knowing how to use a tool well doesn't necessarily mean you'll get good results i guess. however it might be fun to play with photoshop and see if you can get something abstract from it...you could get some surpising results.
HTH

[Rick Huggins]

I'm no photographer, but that photo is gash Kyrre. You are much better than this, so don't subject us 56k users to this again....Be told

[Tim Ingmire]

Oooh now this is interesting. I think what Andy has done has transformed it into something quite different; something a lot more sinister and, quite frankly, scary and uncomfortable. The soft coral has now taken on the appearance of some kind tarantula-like sea monster and its prey is slap bang in its sights. The ring of blurred 'motion zoom' gives real movement to the picture.

It makes me think of the Predator films - I think you know what I mean.

This is the thing that is waiting out there, the thing that scares us when we are doing night dives, when we can't see further than our torch beams. You 'know' its just in your imagination don't you.......

[Andy Phillips]

Originally Posted by greekbird

Hi, I quite like the shot, it's sortof moody, atmospheric, perhaps the framing 's not quite there but i like the feel.
i think the B&W effort was unsucessful tho...and the colour version after because both seem to have lost the atmosphere which is the thing that makes the 'original' worth. Knowing how to use a tool well doesn't necessarily mean you'll get good results i guess. however it might be fun to play with photoshop and see if you can get something abstract from it...you could get some surpising results.
HTH

Ah yes, sadly this is true. My sister is the artistic one, her bloke is a photographer. I keep hopeing 1% of there talent with find it's way to me, but it hasn't yet. So I'll just stick to knowing where my tool is.

Andrew

To help, this was a self depreciating post, read it, think about it and let me know if you get it.

[Norseman]

Well I'm glad my posting did provoke some thoughts - and action. Though I like the picture (dunno, something about the "glow" of the plumrose, could be the diver in the back.. som pics you just like because they give you a "yes, that's what it was like) I also know it's mediocre from a photographers viewpoint. As rightly pointed out by some.
Also interesting to see Andy's approach to the subject: This pic ain't finished! And has, like Tim said, created a totally different atmosphere in PS. And I stand by my statement that by going whooohooo with photoshop you're entering a different "area" within photography, though I don't think it's wrong, not at all. It's just not my thing.

As for your artistic abilities Andy, there's no doubt about them looking at what you got out of the raw image. It's not just the technique that does it you know...

Heh, I might do this again. Fun.

Kyrre

[greekbird]

Originally Posted by Andy Phillips

Ah yes, sadly this is true. My sister is the artistic one, her bloke is a photographer. I keep hopeing 1% of there talent with find it's way to me, but it hasn't yet. So I'll just stick to knowing where my tool is.

Andrew

To help, this was a self depreciating post, read it, think about it and let me know if you get it.

oops... sorry, didn't mean to offend
just expressing my view on the result... personal view that is... i guess i was a bit quick to write, didnt read it back to myself.

[Andy Phillips]

Originally Posted by greekbird

oops... sorry, didn't mean to offend
just expressing my view on the result... personal view that is... i guess i was a bit quick to write, didnt read it back to myself.

You didn't, I re-read what I had posted and decided that I was a w**ker and sounded arrogant.

Thanks for replying though.

Andrew