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ken krishnan
{K:19102} 9/27/2005
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Chris,
Mr.Blue sky goes well with your ps skills. Its a nice compliment.
regards,
ken.
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Keith Saint
{K:13784} 9/10/2005
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Colour, reflections and perspective
You have the right recipe for an amazing shot.
AMAZING!!!!!!
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Carsten Ranke
{K:14476} 9/10/2005
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Chris, wonderful typical shot and stimulating discussion, thanks for that ! You know my attitude towards PS - digital and editing with PS stimulated my stagnating photo activities, it is just fun ;-)
Cheers
Carsten
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Chris Spracklen
{K:32552} 9/9/2005
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Many thanks for your contribution to this fascinating discussion, Janice!!
Best regards, Chris
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Zeev Scharf
{K:25603} 9/9/2005
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Chris I completely agree with you in this hot debate,digital imaging give us the oportunity to tweak a dull image because of the weather or camera output to a brillian one like you saw her a day before,you do this in an magnificent way,the sky you replace is blended beautifully .
Superb capture here my dear friend,magnificent colors
Many thanks for nice comment on "Backlited IR"
Best regards
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Jan Graziano
{K:17920} 9/9/2005
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Wow - hot debate going on here. The shot you uploaded is photoart and truly could grace a tourist's brochure. I lived just outside of London in Golders Green for 3 years and you are correct - what you see today might look totally different tomorrow - fast changing weather. I too would have done what I could with my limited ability to have brightened the original just a little tiny bit to bring out the lines and colors in the interesting buildings - but at the same time I would have tried to preserve the moody feeling that the original gives. I have learned that in an upload a photo that you have done nothing to, tends to loose color intensity, sharpness, and details. Not sure I could have done much with the sky as I haven't quite learned how to make such a drastic change as you have. I have also learned enough about film photography to know that manipulation of the negative, exposures, colors, etc. is commonly done. Ansel Adams was no exception - he tweaked his shots in the darkroom too. Today we just use a different technology to do the same thing. BUT, if you hadn't taken a good shot in the first place - you couldn't have done what you did. I'll sit on the fence on this debate. Like the moods conveyed by both - the composition is great, as are the reflections. Great job - and super discussions. PS - thanks for continuing to look at my uploads now and again and leaving comments. Really appreciate you for taking the time to do so. Jan
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Margaret Sturgess
{K:49403} 9/8/2005
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Chris I like to 'see blue skies' even when things look 'grey' It's like putting the 'smile' on the image - and I like this 'smile
Margaret
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sherif hussein
{K:13815} 9/8/2005
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Wonderful composition chris & wonderful use of PS .No wonder they called it CS. frankly speaking I have some knowledge of ps but I cant do what you have done
Excellent work my friend
Sherif
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B:)liana
{K:30945} 9/7/2005
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wow. beautiful sight view daer Chris!
Kiss,
Biliana
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Joggie van Staden
{K:41700} 9/7/2005
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Excellent work - again Chris. Sharp, crisp colours and very well composed too. You realy have a way with these type of landscapes - I havent seen a bad one from you. I am totally in agreement about the sky. A dull sky is just that - dull, and who would like to look at it. I dont shoot landscapes without a polarizer - with that you see the sky the way it actualy is! Without the glare. Take care and keep sending these!
Joggie
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Chris Spracklen
{K:32552} 9/7/2005
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Colin, many thanks for your further comment. I read your bio and am so pleased that you can at least have the sight of one eye these days. What a blessing that must have been to have had colour again after so many years of black and white!!
I'd like to make it clear that I've no real argument with Roger. I fully accept his viewpoint and I also appreciate reality ~ it's just that I often attempt to conjure up a more vibrant 'reality' than didn't happen to be there when I was around to take pictures!  )
Thanks again for your interest and input!
My best regards,
Chris
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Chris Spracklen
{K:32552} 9/7/2005
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Many thanks, Larry, for taking the time to check back on this thread and the trouble to add a supporting comment. Roger's a dear friend and I both understand and respect his viewpoint, but he won't be at all surprised to see that I feel quite strongly the other way! )
It was an interesting point you made about the darkroom manipulation ~ a valuable addition to an interesting discussion.
Thanks again,
Chris
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Larry Quigley
{K:12887} 9/7/2005
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I have just read your response to Rogers comment on "Mr. Blue Sky!" and I must tell you that I agree whole heartedly with your viewpoint as stated. There is still resistance to digital photography and editing by many. One contest I looked at recently advised "Digital photos can be entered in any catagory as long as they have not be manipulated in any way". When I used to work in the darkroom with film and paper I worked hard to manipulate the photo and give it the best possible presentation. There is magic about digital :-)...but it is still the photographer who makes the picture. So I would add to your comments a resounding- HEAR! HEAR! Larry
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cessy karina
{K:14205} 9/7/2005
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:O
seems you have magic wand for blue sky :)
excellent retouch, make the colors really fabulous
very well done
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Colin Cartwright
{K:15699} 9/7/2005
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Chris. An interesting theological and photographic debate between you and Roger. I think your opposing viewpoints add a fresh dimension, to the comments seen on this site.
You may accuse me of fence sitting, but I agree with both of you. There's plenty room for both!
As someone who could only see grey, for many years (with cataracts), I love now, the intensity of colour! But I appreciate images, as in the real world, also.
After all, God must have created our ablity to enhance our perception of the world of colour.
Regards
Colin
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Hanggan Situmorang
{K:37833} 9/7/2005
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Very beautiful colors and perspective, Chris. Love the composition here, and also what you have done in the digital darkroom. It is photography, in my opinion. The process starts from seeing the picture, making it, processing it, and print it. You've done a beautiful work here, that's for sure. It's almost like painting...:)
Hanggan
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Mohamed Banna
{K:34237} 9/7/2005
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amazing classical landscape
well done
perfect reflections
great composition and angle
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Chris Spracklen
{K:32552} 9/7/2005
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Never less than honest, Roger ~ I appreciate that! And I respect both your opinion and your taste?
However, I think you may have partly missed the point! I'm not trying to IMPROVE on God's creation ~ I'd be a fool to do that!!! All I'm trying to do is bring out the best of what is already there!
I'm not sure how long it is since you've been in England but we had a day like you see in my picture only yesterday!! Okay, today it's dull and overcast ~ but that's England! One day rain, the next day glorious sunshine with brilliant blue skies and, yes, cotton-wool clouds! My preference is for the latter and PS lets me produce it even if it's not there when I happen to go out with my camera?
Sometimes, of course, I get it wrong! In my enthusiasm I go a bit over the top ~ just as some artists may be a little heavy on the reds and yellows for your taste. But it's not because I'm trying to "improve" on what God is done!! It's because I want to celebrate what He HAS done!
PS is a merely a photographic tool that allows comparatively simple folk like me to make up for the inadequacies in my camera. If I uploaded my images straight from D70 I doubt anyone ~ even you ~ would want to look at them!! They're usually overdark and lifeless, owing to the limitations of it being a machine with just one, unforgiving level of exposure, as opposed to a human eye with its miraculous multi-level exposure system; containing buildings that are skewed out of perspective, owing to the lense's inability to compensate for the angle of view; and full of man's clutter that has spoilt and, in some instances, desecrated God's wonderful world. PS enables me to sort those things out so that they look MORE natural, not less!
If, in the process, I put a little too much blue in the sky then praise God for blue! If, in my exuberance, I appear to be trying to "improve" on God's handiwork, then praise God for exuberance!
But, at the end of the day, we're back to choice and if you prefer to be part of the "shrinking minority" that prefers photographic realism, then so be it! I respect that! But, most of the time, it's not for me! Maybe my sunglasses ARE rose-tinted, but I've no desire to change them for a pair that, for me, would rob God's world of much of its joy.
My best regards,
Chris
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Toshi
{K:11924} 9/6/2005
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Your work is amazing Chris. I'm a big fan of vivid colors for these scape shots and your shots are always very eye-pleasing. Excellent job!
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Susie OConnor
{K:34798} 9/6/2005
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Beautiful, and I agree wholeheartedly with your accessment of the photographic art form. Go for it! I love the results however you get them. My best to you!
Susie
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Roger Williams
{K:86139} 9/6/2005
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Well, just to add one dissenting voice, I think the final result of your clever PS work looks quite unreal. Perhaps your sunglasses are rose tinted, if this is how you see the world. You write a very good defence of your approach to picture making but for some of us, a tiny shrinking minority maybe, realism is intrinsically better, truer, more satisfying and ultimately more honouring to God's creation. I prefer it the way He made it and showed it to me. I wouldn't attempt to improve it. Goes against the grain, somehow.
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John Loreaux
{K:86210} 9/6/2005
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They called Frank Sinatra Ole blue eyes so that makes You 'Ole blue skies'!!!! Well, not that old!!!LOL!!!
This is teriffic and I wish I could work magic like this!!! Really a beautioful photograph!!! Nice job Chris!!!!My best..................John
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Colin Cartwright
{K:15699} 9/6/2005
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I agree with you, the original has a touch of 'satanic mills' about it. Your vividification (I've just made that one up!), has worked a treat here. A bit like the superb colours from canon powershots! Great layering and photoshop skills, Chris, as a novice to that stuff, I can admire your patience.
Colin
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Alastair Bell
{K:29571} 9/6/2005
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Well Chris I have to say the manipulation has worked a treat! It looks fabulous! Personally I like blue skies too (although strom clouds are quite acceptable) and I a also a fan of strong vivid colours! Keep doing these... I love em!
Alastair
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ade mcfade
{K:12388} 9/6/2005
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ha ha - again, york as I@VE never seen iot before :-)
you'll have to come to Morley and try to make that look nice.... quite a task!
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Sam Graziano III
{K:14064} 9/6/2005
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Chris, You Truely are an ARTIST. I Love your Big Sky shots. I would much rather see the shot you up-loaded then the one from the original.
PS is an amazing tool. You can take a great shot and make it 1000 fold better.
Thanks for sharing the Magnificent Photo!
Best Regards
Sam III
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Dave Stacey
{K:150877} 9/6/2005
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I must say, Chris that you're final image is certainly more interesting than the original! Having said that, you have to have a good shot to start with, which you have, as well!
Dave.
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Chris Spracklen
{K:32552} 9/6/2005
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Glad you like it, Petal!!!
And thanks for giving away your secrets! )
My best regards, Chris
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Petal Wijnen
{K:50989} 9/6/2005
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Hey there Mr Blue.... LOL!!! You certainly worked your 'magic' on this shot....!!! As for my 'straight out of the camera shots'... that's due to the fact that I can't drop in a sky (blue or otherwise.... LOL) and apart from some really rudimentary things I just leave it as is... that's why flower shots are great... no sky to worry about most of the time (darn now I've gone and told you my secret... ;-D)!!!! Comming back to your handy work: great view, sunglass colors and reflections and good composition... well done!! And before I forget: thanks a lot for the dedication... ;-D!!!
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Tiger Lily
{K:10966} 9/6/2005
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Chris, I love your blue skies. I actually see it as a very legitimate way to deal with unruly skies or difficult exposures (sky bright, land darker). The sky you borrowed is an English sky on a better day. It could have been over any of these scenes you shot. You are not planting the Taj Mahal in UK. Therefore I am not certain that I consider this picture photo-art. It is a stunning image. Another hit after the Insurance building.
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Stephen Bowden
{K:64141} 9/6/2005
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I just know you were a closet ELO fan Chris (like myself).
Beautiful resoration work you have achieved, you never cease to amaze - wonderful photograph and superb result :-)
Best wishes,
Steve
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patrizio napolitano
{K:13119} 9/6/2005
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perfect Chris, perfect and enthusiastically.
perfect Chris, perfect and enthusiastically
I would like to know why some end users don't love photoshop.
I believe because they don't know him/it to them to use:)
patrizio
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Mervo
{K:8643} 9/6/2005
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Excellent before and after, whilst it's always nice and idealistic to keep the image as true as possible , why not do what you've done here, it made a somewhat dark and uninteresting shot lively and colourful, almost like a painting.
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Chris Spracklen
{K:32552} 9/6/2005
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Thanks for your honesty, Merete! I have no problem with you telling me what you really think?
In fact, you've just confirmed what I said in my 'about'! )
Namely that, as with any other art form, photography is very subjective ~ what some people like, other people don't.
That really came through in this little competition last evening at the camera club. Some of the shots that made it through to the last 32 were awful! (At least, I thought so, but many others clearly didn't!)
I have to be honest and say that, most of the time, I'm not a great fan of dull colours. On a sunny day those houses are pretty much that 'orange' colour, and that's how I saw them?
But I'd love to see what YOU would make of it, so I'll send you the hi-res original and let you loose with your own particular magic. I'm sure I'll love the result!
Hugs,
Chris
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Linda Imagefree
{K:72276} 9/6/2005
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Wow Chris this is beautiful, and I'm very impressed with your knowledge and expertise, my hat's off to you..I love this one and it's going into my favorites. I agree with you wholeheartedly, photography is an art, just as any other artform, and I see nothing wrong with making it the best artwork we can...you have a beautiful vision and produce beautiful images...wish I lived in the neighborhood...I'm amazed at what you did with this, very nicely done...:):)
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Merete Westerdahl
{K:11079} 9/6/2005
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Wellllllllllllll..Chris!!! The original has a moody touch.that you have removed along with the sky... and the houses suddenly becomes so shiny and bright...almost orange. I think I would have worked with the original mood...made it more clear..or should I say...moody..instead of turning it into a photography from a tourist brouchure!
It's not that I dislike it...it's just because you invited me to tell you what I meant..or..didn't you?? :/
;o)
Hugs
Merete
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Kathy Hillard
{K:25721} 9/6/2005
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This is amazing, Chris! I totally agree with your comments. Photography is an art form, and if you can achieve this kind of results from a somewhat boring "straight from the camera" shot, then CONGRATULATIONS! You do it so well! I am fighting a shot that I took because of the boring sky in it. I guess I shouldn't give up on it yet!
Kathy
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Fabio Ficola
{K:10466} 9/6/2005
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No doubt, "Mr Blue Sky" is your name.
A great work in pS for this (otherway) dull picture!
Take care and keep going on your lessons! Fabio
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Danny Brannigan
{K:19523} 9/6/2005
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Not only is it a superb image it is also superbly presented.
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timur basol
{K:5769} 9/6/2005
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wonderful shot. very nice scene. beautiful.
Regards.
timur
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Marian Man
{K:80636} 9/6/2005
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amazing dear Chris!!!!!! excellent job by you!!!!!! love your vivid blue colors!!!! and this sky is superb!!!!!!!
my best regards
Marian
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Larry Quigley
{K:12887} 9/6/2005
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I love your vivid colors, Chris, and they are certainly apparent in this fine composition. I think a nice sky adds immeasurably to a picture as it does here. A great job. Best wishes and thanks for your generous comments. Larry
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Pawel Kwasnicki
{K:9651} 9/6/2005
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The result you achieved here is amazing, Chris; the colors are vivid and the image is so clean, great composition; best regards, Pawel
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Chris Spracklen
{K:32552} 9/6/2005
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Here's the original?
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Straight from the camera! |
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