I haven't been around in a LONG time! I've missed good old FM, and all of you! Boy, is it good to be back!
We spent a good part of the day shooting in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The leaves are just about finished - but there is still so much to shoot! I used my 180 macro lens for most of the day. I'd love to hear what you all think!
Fun macro set Varina - #2 and #3 are really neat. #1 would be but I have a very hard time believing it as a natural scene with an almost perfect bullseye on that lichen spot for the leaf. Still a fun image.
Good to see some shots from the CVNP--I live about 3 miles away. I spend a lot of time there, and it is a good place to use your macro lens. I was doing the same this morning.
Very nice set of images. I particularly like the third.
Dave
Oct 23, 2010 at 09:01 PM
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alichty wrote:
#1 would be but I have a very hard time believing it as a natural scene with an almost perfect bullseye on that lichen spot for the leaf.
Oh no, Alan - the scene isn't natural. I chose a tiny red leaf, and placed it on the spot of lichen. I certainly never intended to suggest that these scenes were perfectly natural and untouched. In fact, I arranged all of them for impact. For the second shot, I chose a textured leaf to contrast with the striped pattern of the bark behind. I chose three of the brightest leaves I could find for the third shot - and arranged them to show their contrasting colors and shapes. And for the last, I adjusted the flower so that it lay on the leaf just the way I wanted. I am not a photojournalist - so I'm not too concerned about accurate documentation. It's just "art" - I try not to take myself too seriously!
Thanks everyone! I am dreading winter's heavy skies - but loving every minute of Autumn.
In my opinion, image #1 and #2 looks too staged for my liking.
The third image has great potential. I really like the composition and the colours. I think that your DOF was a tad shallow because not all of the leaves are in focus.
It looks like the consensus is that if it looks staged it's not working for people.
So here's the question, then. Since all of these are staged, the actual staging isn't the issue... it's about creating a believable composition. Is that what at comes down to?
I'm curious to know what people think about this. I would have thought that there would be two groups - those who object to staging no matter what, and those who don't care one way or the other. It seems that there is a third (and possibly larger?) group - those who don't care if you stage an image as long as it looks like it could have been natural.
2nd and 3rd for me, too, Varina.
Nothing wrong with staging a scene, the trick is to get it to look like it's not staged. To my eyes the last 2 do look staged, but they are still quite natural feeling.
The 1st is just too good a bull's eye.
it was immediately evident to me that all of these are staged. they all look look fine and lovely art to me. even the act of staging itself requires some time and forethought so that itself is a skill.
bshamilton wrote:
2nd and 3rd for me, too, Varina.
Nothing wrong with staging a scene, the trick is to get it to look like it's not staged. To my eyes the last 2 do look staged, but they are still quite natural feeling.
The 1st is just too good a bull's eye.
Barry
I was going to call that first shot "In the Spotlight", Barry. I was actually going for the "staged" look, there... quite literally! Ha! Ah well - you can't please everyone.
I wonder if the same image would get a similar response from non-photographers? Do you think it would bother them if the photographer obviously placed the subject?
Binh Ly wrote:
it was immediately evident to me that all of these are staged. they all look look fine and lovely art to me. even the act of staging itself requires some time and forethought so that itself is a skill.
If "staging" is so wrong, then still life photography would be a lost art
It's all about shooting your vision. #3 is really nice. An excellent play on color.
Thanks!