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Archive 2017 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)

  
 
beavens
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


Apologies to Dave for not 100% tack sharp throughout the image, but for some reason PS was acting REALLY wonky when stacking so this is a single exposure.

Took the comp in a little different direction, which I feel is more elegant than what OP was. I dig the lines and diamond formed by the frets and neck edges.

I've got a slightly diff comp as well (with a bit more DOF as the stack actually worked), but I'd like see how this one fares first.

Thoughts?

Jeff







Jan 27, 2017 at 08:33 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


I'd say maybe over sharpened along fretboard. I'd also go for a bit more depth there by increasing contrast/blacks in the board. Perhaps some highlight recovery for the strings. Slightly soft ULC but a minor nit.
Scott



Jan 27, 2017 at 09:18 PM
beavens
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


sbeme wrote:
I'd say maybe over sharpened along fretboard. I'd also go for a bit more depth there by increasing contrast/blacks in the board. Perhaps some highlight recovery for the strings. Slightly soft ULC but a minor nit.
Scott


Thanks for the feedback, Scott! Those top strings aren't coils but straight, so that's why they might appear blown?

I played with the blacks in the board but it ended up a bit meh looking. I'll take another look!

Jeff



Jan 27, 2017 at 10:24 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


+1 @ crunchy

The blown / highlight recovery ... might be induced / related to sharpening that made things crunchy.



Jan 27, 2017 at 10:38 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


I like the detail in the wood.I also like the angle and comp.The reflections of the strings on the frets is cool.


Jan 28, 2017 at 10:13 AM
lighthound
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


Ha! You know better than to apologize to me Mr. No need for that kind of talk.

I have no idea how to focus stack in PS but I have used Helicon and Zerene trial versions and either of those makes life so much simpler and they do an amazing job.
I think with an image such as this you would want the full depth. Now with the other nice shot you had of the peg then yep, a limited DOF is the only way to go IMHO.

I'd really like to see your stacked version but maybe dial back on the sharpness.

+1 @ feeling a tad crunchy which might have been caused from that massive 50mp file getting scrunched down to this web size. I've never had this horrible problem so I'm only guessing here. Diffraction might even be sneaking in on you with a shot like this @f/14 and possibly you tried to compensate for it?

It still feels too hot for my taste and what I was thinking when I first saw your OP image. Just my opinion though and it's your baby.

I heard you on the coolness but to me...
Acoustic = wood = warm
Electric = plastic/metal = cool

Call me crazy but that's how my brain wants to see them.

Here's a quick edit exaggerating where/what I was thinking. Hard to accurately show with the jpeg so it's not perfect but gives you the idea.

Kudos for going back at it! I like the slightly different comp and clean solid BG. Black was a good choice I think.

Dave







Jan 28, 2017 at 11:49 AM
beavens
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


Thanks for all the feedback! I've decided to take another crack at it with a slightly different feel.

Does the toning make this more flat/boring?

Pulled back a lot on the sharpening. Didn't really go overboard from a settings standpoint, but this is less-so.

Thoughts?







Jan 29, 2017 at 03:48 PM
lighthound
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


beavens wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback! I've decided to take another crack at it with a slightly different feel.

Does the toning make this more flat/boring?

Pulled back a lot on the sharpening. Didn't really go overboard from a settings standpoint, but this is less-so.

Thoughts?


Yeah, kinda sorta now that you have said it, but I do like the warmer tone. Maybe a blend between this and your OP image?

Sharpness looks fine to me. Do you add sharpening in PS or LR or just in the jpeg export?
I'm curious because I have noticed in some of my LR jpeg exports recently that they seem to be over sharpened using the same settings I have always used. I'm wondering if Adobe has messed with something there.

Dave





Jan 30, 2017 at 10:03 PM
Familiarity
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


The original tone looks good to me. I also like the warmed up version too but on my monitor, it looks a bit yellow. Could it look better as a sepia? Or is that tone too cliche these days?

I really got to learn about sharpening. My pics always look like they need to be sharper. (Sorry for the tangent.)



Jan 31, 2017 at 03:10 AM
beavens
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


lighthound wrote:
Yeah, kinda sorta now that you have said it, but I do like the warmer tone. Maybe a blend between this and your OP image?

Sharpness looks fine to me. Do you add sharpening in PS or LR or just in the jpeg export?
I'm curious because I have noticed in some of my LR jpeg exports recently that they seem to be over sharpened using the same settings I have always used. I'm wondering if Adobe has messed with something there.

Dave



Yeah I think perhaps a LITTLE less toning would be a sweet spot. I do any sharpening prior to exporting (no JPEG sharpening on LR export). Not sure if downsizing in PS is adding any of the crunchies or if I pushed things a little too much.

Thanks Dave!

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

Familiarity wrote:
The original tone looks good to me. I also like the warmed up version too but on my monitor, it looks a bit yellow. Could it look better as a sepia? Or is that tone too cliche these days?

I really got to learn about sharpening. My pics always look like they need to be sharper. (Sorry for the tangent.)


Cheers Fam! I think I might take Dave and your advice and reduce the toning a touch. It was the 'Coffee' tone from Silver Efex Pro, so I would expect the tone to be more to the brown side of things and not yellow but I see what you're saying. Nah sepia is a classic! Just gotta pick the right spot to utilize it. I'd say that a reduced tone version of the most recent rework might approach a light sepia look.

As far as sharpening goes, there are many ways to skin a cat - all depends on what tools you've got and the intended effect.

Jeff



Jan 31, 2017 at 08:03 AM
eeneryma
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


Nice work Jeff! Curious if you play that thing?

Steve



Jan 31, 2017 at 08:47 AM
beavens
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


eeneryma wrote:
Nice work Jeff! Curious if you play that thing?

Steve


What are your thoughts on toning tweaks, sir?

Well, let's just say that when I bought this guy years ago I had INTENDED to learn how to play.

As it is, the Jasmine is more of a decoration/dust collector at the moment.

Jeff



Jan 31, 2017 at 09:01 AM
lighthound
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


I have a dust collector system at my house also. It's called a Fender Stratocaster.
I was going to be a rock star someday. Now I'm just a really bad photog.

Not sure about this idea as I'm not usually a fan but what about also doing a very heavy vignette with this. I know some "tools" can be used more aggressively depending on the image and I wonder if this might be one of those.

Dave



Jan 31, 2017 at 09:11 AM
beavens
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


lighthound wrote:
I have a dust collector system at my house also. It's called a Fender Stratocaster.
I was going to be a rock star someday. Now I'm just a really bad photog.

Not sure about this idea as I'm not usually a fan but what about also doing a very heavy vignette with this. I know some "tools" can be used more aggressively depending on the image and I wonder if this might be one of those.

Dave


Ahaha well I'm gonna have to say that MY dust collector system probably costed me a whole lot less than yours.

I'll give anything a shot, but I feel that a vignette in any dose would detract from this kinda shot where I'm looking to get the lines/angles/"less soft" look.

Jeff



Jan 31, 2017 at 09:31 AM
eeneryma
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


beavens wrote:
What are your thoughts on toning tweaks, sir?

Well, let's just say that when I bought this guy years ago I had INTENDED to learn how to play.

As it is, the Jasmine is more of a decoration/dust collector at the moment.

Jeff


Your last version, slightly yellowed and sharpened and emphasizing the grain, is my favorite. The small white dot on the side justaposed with the large white dot on the top add interest. You've done this still life artfully.

Steve



Jan 31, 2017 at 09:36 AM
lighthound
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


beavens wrote:
Ahaha well I'm gonna have to say that MY dust collector system probably costed me a whole lot less than yours.

I'll give anything a shot, but I feel that a vignette in any dose would detract from this kinda shot where I'm looking to get the lines/angles/"less soft" look.

Jeff


Naw, I just dumped a whole lot more on some RRS gear the other day than what my dust collector cost me.

Yep, as I was typing that, I was thinking about that very thing with the lines. But hey, ya never know.

Dave



Jan 31, 2017 at 09:48 AM
beavens
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Mono Macro Guitar (Reworked #1)


eeneryma wrote:
Your last version, slightly yellowed and sharpened and emphasizing the grain, is my favorite. The small white dot on the side justaposed with the large white dot on the top add interest. You've done this still life artfully.

Steve


Thanks Steve! I'm glad you the dots had this effect for you as I was hoping they would be a little dynamic splash to contrast the very static/straight lines.

Jeff



Jan 31, 2017 at 10:01 AM





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