[tessfully]

Do you have one of those images your heart tells you one thing and your mind another? The 2nd attachment is an image from this fall that I am posting for some honest critique --- because my heart won tonight! There is something about it I love and cannot let go of...












this is the one that drives me nuts... maybe a better camera, betting lighting... but I can't stop trying.

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Last edited by tessfully; 01-14-2011 at 05:55 PM.

[tessfully]

I took the image down and upon reloading a "brighter" version I found another to add to the theme.


One unrelated issue I am having is on my apple monitor the photos look too bright, and on my LD they look too dark. One of my monitors needs calibration.

[jbinpg]

Love the first "framed by leaves" shot. 2nd not so much. Quite busy without a focal point.

[tessfully]

thanks for commenting... the first does light up for me too, the second as you say is just too busy and noisy. I don't know why I keep going bac to it... this is my way of letting go... although, one day I hope to get back up to that place so I can do something better with/for the dead tree.

[Sparkle]

May be both monitors. Are you using a PC or a Mac? Strangely a PC, I'm told, is better for photography than a Mac which is better for Graphics. You should be able to purchase a Spyder 3 Pro calibration utility for about $100.00. It usually costs more to have a monitor calibrated once.

[Coeurdechene]

There is free software to calibrate the monitor..no need to spend those 100$ if you don't NEED it. The only ones who do that are those who work in graphics and thus need it to be really accurate..

I like the first one..the red leaves direct your view to the green ones, and the naked tree..it's as if you had three seasons toghether. The frame made by the red autumn leaves is a very pleasing effect.
The second one has nothing that atrracts the eye...nothing accentuated...that fotography needs a subject, the tree could be a good background since it has beautifull colors but all by it's own it's kind of boring.

[tessfully]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Greatly appreciated. I have one more dances with trees image that I really love as well.

Critical feedback and any other comments most welcome.

[Frogfish]

I can see why you love #3 - beautiful (though the 'horizon' separating rock from the lake etc. is rather too central for my liking).

#1 - lovely shot
#2 - yes I can see what it is that interests you. There is something sorrowful, tragic, in the isolation of the small bare tree in the foreground against a mature 'fully clothed' tree behind it. But I still can't say I like the shot !

[Sparkle]

The third is nice. Hope you don't think this too maudlin to remind you:

" I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree." -- Joyce Kilmer

[tibbitts]

The first two look just a little too bright on my monitor, but for viewing on the web, it might not matter that your monitor is calibrated, because nobody (relatively speaking) will be viewing using a calibrated monitor. It probably matters more for printing. But the tree in the first picture does look a little blown out to me.

The third picture is my favorite, and looks "just right" to me.

Paul

[Miguel]

Nice colors on the first shot. The weakness to the shot is that you setup a framing orientation, yet there really is not a strong focal point to the frame. The white and green trees are not distinctive visually enough to carry the shot.
It's a worthwhile effort and demonstrates your positive intentions.

The second shot is too random. Again nice color without meaning and impact.

The third is my fave of the bunch. Nice foreground, the energy of the picture takes your eyes right up the shoreline into the woods. Great color too. A pleasant photo.

One of my monitors needs calibration.

Actually both of your monitors need calibrating and during that process with the right hardware and software tools they can be calibrated to a common reference point.
Software calibration is better than nothing but third-rate at best. Hardware calibration is required for photographers because it ensures consistent and standardized color throughout the process of developing the image, posting the image, and printing the image. It the only way to get continuous tones from black and white images on screen--or to reveal the weaknesses of inferior monitor that cannot reproduce those tones. Even your icons will look better after serious calibration.

Are you using a PC or a Mac? Strangely a PC, I'm told, is better for photography than a Mac which is better for Graphics.

In 2011, contemporary operating systems have little influence on the quality of photographic or graphic art. PC or Mac by itself shouldn't matter; what does matter is one's comfort with using the hardware and software.

During the late 80s and 90s, Macs were preferred for art output for a few reasons including better support by PostScript printers and the fact that Apple and Aldus and then Adobe cooperated a lot. The user interface on Macs was far easier for non-technical artists to use (I worked in an in-house advertising agency during that time). And Macs had system-wide color management with ColorSync many years prior to Windows.

Vista caught Windows users up on the convenience of that latter level and now it really doesn't matter.

Though as a Mac user since 1985 I have my preferences

M

[Sparkle]

I just posed the question under "General Talk". Will be interesting to get opinions on PC verses Mac.

[tessfully]

I was trying to multi quote to respond to these great posts regarding my Dances with Trees and monitor questions, but can't quite keep the process straight.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Ya, the 2nd does need a subject, or something cleaner for a focus... Sparkle and Frogfish, thanks for understanding why I am drawn to that image, you both are quite right about its sorrowfull aged bare bones interest...there is a large old Maple Tree at my grandparents house I took a photo of this fall and that I would like to post a pic of when I find it... we sprinkled my brothers ashes under it last year. I thnk I have a "tree" thing happening right now.

also, thanks for the suggestions on moniotrs and the requirements or non-requirements for calibration...

Miguel, wow, so great you took the time to share your thoughts on the photos and also on monitors. Very helpful! I agree with all your points on the images. Glad the 3rd is pleasing in some way.

need to do more reading on monitors and so happy you started a thread under 'General Talk' Sparkle!

[Sparkle]

There is quite a debate presently about the matter of PC and Mac. Not so much about the calibration. Seems the Hardware calibration wins hands-down.

[Sparkle]

You certainly explained about the tree(s). Sorry about your brother. Think on the good times.