[Leica] Christmas Tree Adjustments

[r.s.taylor at comcast.net (Richard S. Taylor)]

Ted - You're always helpful, Ted.  Always.

After looking at all the variants Douglas and I did, I finally 
settled on one with minimal saturation increase only (to bring up the 
color of the balls) and have been sending it to friends and family 
with e-mailed holiday greetings.  They seemed pleased by it, so its 
served its purpose, I suppose.

Minimal manipulation in PS seems to be the essential goal.  Unless 
you're a real Photoshop artist anything more just adds falseness and 
noise.

The point of the discussion we've been having about it, I think, is 
that it is a *nice* picture but it does not have the "I got you by 
the lapels" character of so many of the pictures I've seen produced 
by you, Ted, and by so many others on the LUG.

I'll be working towards more of those "I got you by the lapels" 
pictures in '05 and look forward to many, many interesting LUG 
discussions on just that point.  It's amazing how much can be learned 
from studying what others do, and hearing their photos discussed, to 
say nothing of what is gained by feedback on your own.

Thank you for all your help.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours, Ted.



>Richard showed and said:
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Christmas Tree Adjustments
>
>>I was starting to explore one route that made the balls look a bit like a
>>flight of hot air balloons, but had to rush to work and didn't get back to
>>it.   The balls unfortunately all looked lost in the tangle of branches in
>>the pictures I did take (here's an example:
>><http://gallery.leica-users.org/Christmas-and-First-Snow/PC140011>) so I
>>didn't post any of them.<<<<<<<<<
>
>Hi Richard,
>I would be hard pressed to shoot this scene while it's a sunny day as
>we see in the above picture. Unless I could  get right in close with the 90
>or any other lens and work tighter and wider aperture. It's such a jumble of
>branches and tree limbs it's almost a disaster of confusion and distraction!
>
>Sure there are some "coloured balls" hanging in the tree, so?
>
>It works as an "establishing shot" then one goes from there to make the
>"neat photos." That's when you shoot until your heart and imagination is
>content with what you've done. One thing I'm learning with digital is that
>sometimes shooting and looking breaks the "picture taking concentration"
>and mood due to stopping and looking at the screen.
>
>I've switched to shooting film style, just shoot away and once in a while I
>have a peek to see what it looks like. ( usually out of fascination that I
>can do it!) ;-) However, even that breaks a shoot concentration when you're
>pedal to the metal on a roll of things happening.
>
>It was the overcast  light and snow of the first day when the magic was
>there. As I said earlier it was a location to have worked too death for
>every possible angle. And even though you were working with a Digilux there
>were many that could've been taken if you had the time and no concern for
>land ownership.
>
>However, I do understand your reluctance to go on the property these days as
>heaven knows how the owner might have re-acted to your intrusion on his
>"space?" :-( A snow terrorist or stealing his balls!
>
>And where I see others trying to "make it better with PS?" Sorry folks save
>your time! And as much as your efforts are much appreciated, it truly is
>like  trying to make "a diamond mine out of a gravel pit!"
>
>Actually what you have here is what I've heard so often about
>Photoshop.... "It's a wonderful tool in making a magical photo even
>better"........ when it's there in the first place!
>However, it can't make a so-so picture a silk purse if it's not there
>in the first place. Or words to that effect.
>
>This is such a wonderful location under the right conditions as we saw
>in the first exposures, it cries out to have another go at it on the first
>sign of overcast and snow falling. I'd be back there in a heart beat.
>
>>>>"There's always another angle to shoot from."  <<<<
>
>Always mon ami, always. :-)
>
>If you work in the following fashion it does wonders...
>
>"Shoot the obvious! Then go from there at every angle that twitches
>your imaginations heart!"
>
>Sorry a bit long, but I trust some helpful.
>ted
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Leica Users Group.
>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


-- 
Regards,

Dick
Boston MA