• Members 1664 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 7:09 p.m.

    This one has quite a bit of sky posterization which kinda makes my eyeballs bleed, but the scene itself is pretty grand, nicely composed and I suspect the clouds would be impressive in any color or iteration you might come up with. It has to be appreciated as a graphic image more than a photograph. I'm curious what the red dots sprinkled about might be, and also curious what the initial scene looks like.

  • Members 1664 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 7:15 p.m.

    As a person who spent 30 years watching one son play baseball and am now watching a grandson start his journey in the most beautiful of sports, I enjoy a good baseball photo like this. Looks like it would be a good magazine ad. I appreciate that the ball has a few scuffs on it. The choice of focal point works well. A deceptively simple image that immediately calls up memories, sensory experience, and milieu. Nicely done.

  • Members 1664 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 7:19 p.m.

    Lovely trio of images of working boats at harbor. My favorite is the first because of the intricacy of the detail in the boat. We often focus on graceful pleasure boats but in reality, there are far more industrial boats and they are just as fascinating.

  • Members 1662 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 8:15 p.m.

    Indeed - different as in unusual, at least for me (who doesn't live close to the sea or any significant aquarium. I enjoy the composition, the colors and the feeling of motion am surprised you've been able to capture it with some clarity through the glass. Well done!

  • Members 1662 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 8:16 p.m.

    This is my favorite - very interesting textures and lots of details to look at. It also works nicely in the square frame, particularly with the rounded edge at the bottom. Beautifully done. 👍

  • Members 1662 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 8:44 p.m.

    I really like the angle and agree with @MikeFewster on the feeling of weight. However I think this can be done in (at least) two very different ways:

    1.) emphasize the golden/sand tones and in contrast to the hint of blue in the windows and sky and make it shine.

    2.) emphasize the effect of weight and pressure

    I've tried both and feel like the second one is probably done best via a black and white conversion with strong contrast and highlighting the blemishes on the surface.

    However comparing them I liked version one more, where I tried to make this building shine. It doesn't lose its weight of course, but it still appears (at least to me) more like a symbol that way.

    RA020025x_ChrisOly.jpg

    (I've also straightened the lines a little bit)

    RA020025x_ChrisOly.jpg

    JPG, 3.4 MB, uploaded by simplejoy on Oct. 5, 2023.

  • Members 154 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 9:54 p.m.

    Soo... I can't transfer a7r4 images to my phone wireless using IEM at full size, they get shrunk to 2mp. Part of the blurriness, but also ship vibration. The longer focal length just shows the vibration more.

    A tripod and not being on a ship probably would have helped.

    Also, the ships dock lights made for a big difference in exposure less than ideal.

    Next time.

  • Members 1179 posts
    Oct. 5, 2023, 10:20 p.m.

    This is a very nice artistic capture, with lots of hidden detail.
    I wonder if the light source is actually off to the right a little, hidden behind the foreground plant? Or is it strong enough to shine through the larger leaves giving the appearance of reflected light? Either way, some soft light escapes through to bring up the odd part of the foreground. But then there appears to be another soft light source to the left. Many questions...

  • Members 861 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 12:13 a.m.

    Red dots?

  • Members 1664 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 1:17 a.m.

    Perfectly vertical, about a third of the way into the frame on the left side, small round red dots. Don't look like bokeh or reflections, just curious. Easy to get rid of if you didn't mean them to be there.

  • Members 1179 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 2:03 a.m.

    No crocodiles this far south, but maybe she sensed something?

    P1060404Crp1.JPG

    Not pollution. The discolouration is from fine clay particles - the pond has formed in a hole dug to rebuild a section of road.

    It's not the first time she has been mistaken for a he, but she is very forgiving, and wont hold it against you 😊. She is an Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler) - quite popular in your country, with those who know their qualities - but can be a handful sometimes, for those that don't.

    P1060404Crp1.JPG

    JPG, 858.0 KB, uploaded by Bryan on Oct. 6, 2023.

  • Members 861 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 4:54 a.m.

    Oh THAT! 99% sure the person who did my glass replacement got something stuck under the replacement glass. :(. I try and clean them up, but I guess I missed it. SO's right, I need to clean my monitor.

  • Members 1517 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 11:06 a.m.

    The sharpness across the ray moves to the softer focus on the other fish and reduces further as we go back. The feeling this gives of depth that is particularly effective as all the objects are floating. The orange/browns of the subject lift it from the background and we have lots of intriguing detail on the features of the ray. The curved wings are quite beautiful.
    A most satisfying shot.

  • Members 1517 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 11:18 a.m.

    I like the lines and timbers of the jetty with the spaghetti can. I might have interfered and removed the rope.

  • Members 1517 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 11:27 a.m.

    It is unlikely that the water is polluted, it looks like a muddy farm dam to me. Maybe there has been recent rain? I'd bet that there are yabbies below that love water like this.
    That's a working dog and yes, a swim like this would be bliss. Photographically, the bow wave right across the image frames the head and adds movement. I'm very fond of these dogs so I enjoy the shot enormously.

  • Members 523 posts
    Oct. 6, 2023, 12:53 p.m.

    I enjoyed your comments, Bryan! Strong direct sun middle behind, combined with densely packed trees that hold branches of varying sizes, as well as different species so some are large leaves, some are pine needles. A Topaz filter for HDR on top of a softer filter that gives glow and contrast = this. Thanks so much for your interest!