Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jim, Welcome back to the wonderful world of the LUG. Serious criticism of images is difficult here. Members include world class professionals, serious photographers, Leica fondlers, at least one truly outstanding Leica slacker, and newbies. With such a wide range of abilities, it is very difficult to know where to start. Another reason you don't see much comment is the thin skin on some members part. As a family member, you learn places you don't want to go if you want peace and harmony. However, you did ask for it so in some sense you should be ready. Your pancake girls potentially, are a great capture. You almost successfully caught one of those moments that everyone with young almost teenage girls witnesses and remembers back. Almost, meaning that you should have used a longer lens, leaned further over the counter to get closer, or cropped in tighter. You wanted to lose the dead space on the sides, counter, and some of the ceiling. This is an intimate moment and you want to draw the viewer right into the moment. Almost in that the exposure gave your wonderful women dark eye sockets. This was not one of Kyles Goth moments. What could have been done? A touch of fill flash although distasteful would work. Some sort of fill card such as a newspaper reflecting some of the light coming down into the eyes would work. Another approach would be to add more exposure so that there is some information in the eye sockets so that you could bring out the detail in printing. >From the image posted it appears that the image was a little thin on the negative which increases the contrast. Consider downrating your film at least one stop to add meat to your C-41 film stock negatives. If the above is inaccurate, please continue the conversation. We all learn from each other and too many are afraid to talk for whatever reason. Don dorysrus@mindspring.com -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Jim McIntyre Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 9:28 PM To: lug@leica-users.org Subject: [Leica] The cat came back... Hello LUG I unsubscribed a few weeks ago. I was a little annoyed with some of the off-topic chatter, the "cliquish" and self-serving dialogue, and the general meandering of the group, etc. More to the point, I posted 5 PAW's in a row, and got zero -- nada -- feedback. I'm under no delusions that I'm the next HBC, or anything close, but I do think I have something to offer. And I really do appreciate feedback -- laudatius or otherwise. The lack of response is worse than negative (and hopefully constructive) feedback. It's like talking to a dead phone line.... However, I have been checking the LUG archives, and looking at the posts. I've skipped over the more off-topic messages (which admittedly can be quite entertaining and educational), stayed away from the vitriolic political threads, and checked all the PAW and photograph postings I could. The truth is I have valued the feedback I have received in the past, and knowing I had an "obligation" to keep up my PAW activities for the LUG kept me active with my camera (no small challenge with rebuilding a career and 3 kids...). So I'm back. And to put my money where my keyboarding is, I've posted a PAW: http://members.rogers.com/jmcdesigns/jamesstreet/2004-33.htm Slam away, lambaste me for using my nieces and daughter as convenient subjects, but please, let me know you took the time to view my work, and by all means let know what I can do to improve. No photographer should work in vacuum...except to remove the dust from the negatives! ciao... Jim _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information