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Archive 2016 · Bad moon rising

  
 
lighthound
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Bad moon rising


Here is another beach shot I took last summer during the strawberry moon.

The first image is the ONLY image I ended up with that I "think" turned out ok.
This is the only image I'm asking for critique on.
The others that I'm posting are for discussion purposes for a question I have.

I would like your thoughts on this image.
It is a heavy crop so I do have more room if needed but I have no room to lift shadows any further. Which I wanted to to bring out the FG area a little.

I'm posting the other images to show how badly I screwed up that night and to ask you all a question.
Have any of you completely messed up on an absolute golden opportunity that was handed to you on a silver platter? And likely never to have it handed to you again in your life time?

I was sick to my stomach when I got home and saw this mess.
I have learned a very important lesson here. Slow down and "think". Then think again and check and verify the shot. Not that I had much time as the moon was moving fast, but damn, what a moron.

#2 image one of my missed shots. The bird was an Osprey and below it was a Cormorant.
#3 image another missed shot.
#4 image (similar to others you have seen from me) simply shows where the tree was located (just left of the moon) thus the need for longer glass.

Dave

edited to change frames





#1






#2






#3






#4



Edited on Dec 17, 2016 at 07:38 PM · View previous versions



Dec 17, 2016 at 07:01 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Bad moon rising


I really like the first one, but I am wondering what that arch is on the right side coming out of the water?

I have never missed a shot :-)

I like the last image also, maybe get rid of the ship light though.



Dec 17, 2016 at 07:17 PM
lighthound
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Bad moon rising


Thanks Ben. That arch is another tree that was much closer to me. I think it was that crooked tree mess you can see to the left in the last image. It wasn't easy getting a clear shot through all those trees and still getting everything lined up correctly. I did try to burn that arch down a little because I thought it was rather distracting. Yet another reason why I wanted to pull the shadows up more but can't.

I tried to clone out that ship but ended up screwing it up even worse. I did manage to get rid of another one that was on the left. I might need to bring it into PSE and see if I can remove it in there.


Dave



Dec 17, 2016 at 07:36 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Bad moon rising


Neat little set ... but lose #2. Technicals are too soft. You know ... like velvet buckhorns, just let it go.


Dec 17, 2016 at 08:06 PM
lighthound
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Bad moon rising


RustyBug wrote:
Neat little set ... but lose #2. Technicals are too soft. You know ... like velvet buckhorns, just let it go.


Haha! Yep, I need to just let it go as well as #3 and a few others.
If you read my post, I only included those for discussion purposes and to prove what an absolute moron I am.
Not that y'all need anymore proof.

I was hoping others would share some of their worst memories (and maybe even the photo) of where they felt like throwing their entire rig into the ocean and walking away.

Moments like that rarely happen to me personally and to utterly blow it like I did kinda pushed me over the edge just a wee bit. I think this is why I have taken so long to come back to these images from this entire trip and start working on a few here and there.

Sounds like #1 isn't too bad so I can live with that, as it helps deaden the pain a little.

Dave



Dec 18, 2016 at 11:18 AM
sbeme
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Bad moon rising


We've all been there, done that, sadly.
Headed out early one AM to a group bikeride leaving sharply at 7. Wheels off, tires inflated, bike in my trunk. Layers, gloves, water bottles, check.Helmet, sunglasses, check. Cell phone, ID, credit cards, check.
Arrived 5 min early.
Forgot my cleated bike shoes. No ride!!


As for the first image, it's your call on mood, but I think maybe some exposure adjustment, a crop to eliminate the arch lower right. Ideally that moon would be just a tad more between the branches.
Coudn't decide how much of a dark base to include. Maybe a bit less?

Scott






Edited on Dec 18, 2016 at 02:57 PM · View previous versions



Dec 18, 2016 at 12:07 PM
lighthound
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Bad moon rising


Thanks Scott. And yep, I feel your pain on the bike ride.

Ben had also pointed out that arch distraction and your edit kinda drove it home that it needs to go.

I do like the brighter version as well so here's my attempt @ the suggested tweaks.
I also burned down the bottom water area a little and gave up on any hope of a water reflection that I couldn't get anyhow.

Even cropping this tight I still have enough pixels left to get an 8x10 @ 250ppi at least.

Better?

EDIT:
Does anyone else see a blob of solid black at the base of the tree? I just noticed it after posting but it doesn't show up on my LR file. What the heck is that?

Dave




#1 edit




Dec 18, 2016 at 01:06 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Bad moon rising


not sure I see the blob
might have to circle it

I like the new crop.

if you can do 8x10 at 250 you can probably do 16x20 or more on this. And I think it is worth considering.
Keep in mind this is an image with little detail and operates by a strong silhouette and the beautiful color gradations supporting your composition. Careful and aggressive edge sharpening of the tree would be needed, and less aggressive sharpening in the sky. It could also be uprezzed to high satisfaction.

Scott



Dec 18, 2016 at 01:14 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Bad moon rising


I like the new edit, I don't see a blob, but I also can't see power lines or a tree in Ricks image either.

I also agree this can be printed larger because of the lack of fine detail.



Dec 18, 2016 at 01:54 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Bad moon rising


lighthound wrote:
I was hoping others would share some of their worst memories (and maybe even the photo) of where they felt like throwing their entire rig into the ocean and walking away.



Okay, so its circa 1988 out at the San Diego Wild Animal Park (not quite Africa, but ...)

I see the male and female lion up on a ridge ... too far to get anything decent even @ 600mm (300 + 2X). However, I see them make their way down from the ridge into some bush that is closer for their afternoon siesta.

I stand alertly on watch for 3 hours for them to come out from the bush. Staff and patrons would come by and wonder what I was so intently watching for, as there was nothing to be seen. Time goes by, and I am finally rewarded greatly, as they make their way out of the bush and stroll up to me. Proximity = literally petting distance (through chain link fence) ... and lose your hand if you dare try. Sun is going down, park is closing in 15 minutes.

I'm sensing once in a lifetime opportunity ... so after I take my first shot (no chimping in 1988), I switch my gear into automatic mode, figuring I'd blow it shooting my normal manual on slide film.

I go through my last roll of slide film (36 exp.) on these two. Get on my motorcycle, ride back into SD straight to my custom lab and drop off my most prized roll of shots ever. All the way there, all I could think about was don't let my film get hurt if I get in an accident.

After waiting two agonizing days for processing, I pick up what is going to be the start of my Nat Geo career worthy slides. To my incredible dismay, I have 37 slides (I rolled tight) of essentially black images, with very light smattering of "gray" sparkle.

I had flash fill set on, and the flash distance to the fence was so short that it was reflecting the light back and the auto-sensing aspect clamped down on my exposure to virtually nothing.

The one and only shot (slight oof @ too close) was the one that I took in manual mode before switching. I don't think I've ever been more "sick" about blowing it than then.

Okay ... who's next?



Edited on Dec 18, 2016 at 03:31 PM · View previous versions



Dec 18, 2016 at 03:11 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Bad moon rising


Gotcha beat. Robert Capa (I think it was him) shot D-day and sent the roll back to England for processing where the lab guy ruined it.

Ansel Adams was getting off a float plan in Alaska and dropped a bunch of plates into the water.



Dec 18, 2016 at 03:28 PM
lighthound
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Bad moon rising


RustyBug wrote:
Okay, so its circa 1988 out at the San Diego Wild Animal Park (not quite Africa, but ...)

I see the male and female lion up on a ridge ... too far to get anything decent even @ 600mm (300 + 2X). However, I see them make their way down from the ridge into some bush that is closer for their afternoon siesta.

I stand alertly on watch for 3 hours for them to come out from the bush. Staff and patrons would come by and wonder what I was so intently watching for, as there was nothing to be seen. Time
...Show more

No wait, what!? They had 300mm lenses way back then? And Extenders!

"the start of my Nat Geo career"
That line is where I fell to the floor laughing. Glad I'm not the only one that has had those thoughts.

Thanks for sharing that sad story Kent. You got me laughing at myself again. I feel better now.
The sad part is, I know it's just a matter of time before I do something silly again. But hopefully it won't be due to the mistakes I made that night.

I can not imagine what it must feel like if you are a big time paid Nat Geo Photog and do something stupid that causes you to loose the shot(s). I'm sure it's a rare event but you gotta know it must happen.

Dave

---------------------------------------------

ben egbert wrote:
Gotcha beat. Robert Capa (I think it was him) shot D-day and sent the roll back to England for processing where the lab guy ruined it.

Ansel Adams was getting off a float plan in Alaska and dropped a bunch of plates into the water.


That cheating Ben. I wanna here about YOUR pain and suffering.

Do plates go bad once they are wet?
Regardless, wouldn't that be nice to find them even if they were trashed.

Dave




Dec 18, 2016 at 04:29 PM
lighthound
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Bad moon rising


sbeme wrote:
not sure I see the blob
might have to circle it

I like the new crop.

if you can do 8x10 at 250 you can probably do 16x20 or more on this. And I think it is worth considering.
Keep in mind this is an image with little detail and operates by a strong silhouette and the beautiful color gradations supporting your composition. Careful and aggressive edge sharpening of the tree would be needed, and less aggressive sharpening in the sky. It could also be uprezzed to high satisfaction.

Scott


Thanks Scott. I wanted to keep a little more of the base/water in there. I didn't really think about the fact of very little detail on this. You're right! I will give your suggestion a try and see if I can get a 16x20 out of this one.

I don't know much about uprezzing images but I need to learn very soon because my SIL wants a huge print of that one MW shot and I don't have the pixels to print it unless I drop down to 180 ppi. Which might work but I don't know how to make a small section sample print that would show me the end results. Printing sucks.

Dave



Dec 18, 2016 at 04:37 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Bad moon rising


lighthound wrote:
No wait, what!? They had 300mm lenses way back then? And Extenders!


I actually still have both that lens and that 2X. The lens Tamron 300/5.6 Adapta-All was what I shot my first elk (you know the place) with when I was testing out Nikon D700 a few years back.

It's not big white, but boy, for a young, poor sailor, it was my pride & joy.



Dec 18, 2016 at 05:20 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Bad moon rising


180 can work, especially with this image
Canvas is more forgiving, glossy least
But still, you might be able to go larger than 16x20 readily. I have a beautiful 16x20 3 mp image ( heavy crop) that works because it is low detail, high graphics style and about contrast and edge
So for this image think big if you want



Dec 18, 2016 at 05:44 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Bad moon rising


And Artie Morris, premier bird photographer, has shot without a memory card
Untethered

Scott



Dec 18, 2016 at 05:45 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Bad moon rising


sbeme wrote:
And Artie Morris, premier bird photographer, has shot without a memory card
Untethered

Scott


So have I, got home from a day of shooting eagles to find I had no card and the 10D set to shoot without card.



Dec 18, 2016 at 06:54 PM
lighthound
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Bad moon rising


Kent, you need to hold on to that puppy! Do you still use it at all?
They say good glass never dies!

Dave

sbeme wrote:
And Artie Morris, premier bird photographer, has shot without a memory card
Untethered

Scott


---------------------------------------------

ben egbert wrote:
So have I, got home from a day of shooting eagles to find I had no card and the 10D set to shoot without card.


Yep ok, now THAT would put me over the top. I've come very close to doing this a few times but man would the suck after shooting a ton of shots.

You guys are like mental therapist.

Thanks!

Dave



Dec 18, 2016 at 07:11 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Bad moon rising


Or get to a remote site to find that you don't have your backup batteries charged, and you're on the last bar of the one in the camera.

Or you forgot to switch the tripod mounting plate from your long glass back to the camera when you went out to do some night stuff.

Or ... well, you get the gist.

You know, a good magician NEVER reveals the trick. Part of the trick to being perceived as "good" is never letting folks see when your goods are not so good (i.e. cull hard or make good lemonade) ... except around us, of course.




Edited on Dec 18, 2016 at 07:24 PM · View previous versions



Dec 18, 2016 at 07:17 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Bad moon rising


But, I AM a mental therapist!


Scott



Dec 18, 2016 at 07:19 PM
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