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Archive 2014 · Fireball

  
 
beavens
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Fireball


Biggest problem with this picture is the numbers of distractions.

- Onlooker in background (should he be blurred or does his natural line of sight put the viewer on the main subject?)
- Partial guy/gun on left border
- Shooter behind subject with only top of head and hand showing

I threw up a little vignette but it doesn't fix all that much.

Whatcha got for me, PC?

Thanks!

Jeff






Edited on Oct 26, 2014 at 06:31 PM · View previous versions



Oct 26, 2014 at 06:06 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Fireball


Neither onlooker distracts, I had to look for the second after reading your observations. The fireball is the subject here, care to share the technicals on how you captured it?

I don't see this so much as an artistic image as a technical one, perhaps useful for shooters.



Oct 26, 2014 at 06:26 PM
beavens
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Fireball


Thanks for the insight, Ben!

No tricks - just a combination of luck, tons of light and shooting high fps.

Jeff



Oct 26, 2014 at 06:29 PM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Fireball


The muzzle blast is interesting, but the clutter of the rest just makes it a somewhat interesting record shot, in my book.


Oct 26, 2014 at 06:59 PM
beavens
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Fireball


AuntiPode wrote:
The muzzle blast is interesting, but the clutter of the rest just makes it a somewhat interesting record shot, in my book.


Pretty much! Something for the shooter to use as a Facebook cover or something.

Any suggestions on processing?

Jeff




Oct 26, 2014 at 07:05 PM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Fireball


I'd make some selections and apply varying amounts of lens blur to simulate a shallower DOF and isolate the shooter better.


Oct 26, 2014 at 10:57 PM
Camperjim
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Fireball


It looks like a grab shot that should have been grabbed a bit better. Catching the muzzle blast is usually pretty easy....at least after a few attempts. The problem seems to be getting a good position on an active rifle range. I can see that you had to step in front of another person who is holding a rifle and pointing it down range in your direction. Not good. If this is an important shot, I would give up on a PP fix and reshoot it under staged conditions.


Oct 26, 2014 at 11:09 PM
beavens
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Fireball


Camperjim wrote:
It looks like a grab shot that should have been grabbed a bit better. Catching the muzzle blast is usually pretty easy....at least after a few attempts. The problem seems to be getting a good position on an active rifle range. I can see that you had to step in front of another person who is holding a rifle and pointing it down range in your direction. Not good. If this is an important shot, I would give up on a PP fix and reshoot it under staged conditions.


Definitely a grab shot. I just brought the camera for shits and giggles and ended up shooting more photos than bullets.

If I were going for anything more than just an interesting doc shot I would have just asked everyone to hang back so I wouldn't be fighting for isolation.

I was mainly more curious if PP could lend a hand to help things out.

Thanks!

Jeff



Oct 27, 2014 at 09:10 AM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Fireball


Q & D version:







Oct 27, 2014 at 07:04 PM
beavens
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Fireball


Thanks for the rework, Karen - I think I'm going to incorporate this into the final copy I send him.

What's your process for selective blurring in PS?

Jeff



Oct 27, 2014 at 08:32 PM
AuntiPode
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Fireball


When I want the best, I isolate selections based upon distance, giver those furthest away and closest more blur. In the example I got lazy and did one selection and covered missed spots with the blur tool. Using PS CS5, to make a selection I either use the magic wand or the lasso tool and make a selection. Then I click on the refine edge button and use the radius slider on the resulting panel to refine the edge. Then I click on filter/blur and select the lens blur and fiddle slightly with the slider/s (usually just the radius slider) until I like the blur.


Oct 27, 2014 at 09:13 PM
Mongrel
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Fireball


Looks like I'm late to the party but here goes...

I don't think there is a problem with the processing as much as there is with the crop. I would crop it from the back of the shooters head to the front edge of the blast and from the top of the table to the top of the shooters head. That would salvage the shot imo. As is it doesn't do anything for me really.

(The suggested crop would also work better as a FB background/banner as well).

Something like this might work...

http://agargani.smugmug.com/Linked-shots/i-hBH9zqP/0/O/blast-crop.jpg

Edited on Oct 28, 2014 at 10:06 AM · View previous versions



Oct 28, 2014 at 10:00 AM
beavens
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Fireball


Thanks for the comments, Mongrel!

I played with some other crops, but they felt super cramped/awkward.

But I'll revisit again and see what can be done.

Jeff



Oct 28, 2014 at 10:05 AM





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