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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/13/2008
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Well, Andre, this is quite a big help indeed. A good thing is that the spectator has a more "detached" impression, since he/she only sees the image and doesn't have that kind of memory that perhaps distorts some of the "reality of the image itself". I am always glad too for such hints and suggestions. They enrich my own toolbox when I am out there next time, especially when they come from several people at the same time, as you say. Then I wonder too, how I could be not able to realize such an "easy" thing ;-)
Oh well, some things seem to be "easy" only *after* recognizing them ;-)
Nick
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 4/12/2008
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Hi Nick,
I think the attached versions make a big difference. It's funny how sometimes we miss something so obvious. I've done it myself here on Usefilm. It has been my experience on this site that when two or three people make similar suggestions for an improvement, it usually does turn out to be a change that we agree with. :)
Andre
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/10/2008
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"Meet John Doe"! (My deepest respect and admiration for all those who participated!) It could be "Meet Avi", or "Meet Nick", or anybody.
And that's what I try to raise the awareness for in this forum and in general too. Let's be just our own common selves in order to surpass our "common selves". Translated in the sense of this forum it would mean for us all to not try to make "a big impression", or even more "philosophic sense" through out photography, but to be our own sincere selves. You and several other guys practice exactly that in the simplicity of the "common self" that tries and learns. But the majority still tries to act like some "forgotten artistic inspirers". Well, enough of that - there are also guys with both feet on the earth, thanks heavens!
The structural similarities of Gary and Jimmy.. well, Avi, many times I was argueing about that with some friends that didn't have the same opinion at all. But what can I say, I find both very similar, especially at times when in comes to open directness and sincerity of the characters that they play. So I am glad to know that you think the same about that.
As about that kind of looking casual, I must say, you are lucky to have such friends! When I try some shot with my friends here they will always add some extra VIP-smile, and that looks awful at the end. That's why I try some shots when people are not aware of that.
Thanks a lot also for the link to Deb's image - excellently done! Such an image shows that the maker didn't care only to raise the own name hastily in the usual sence of "Celebrate me, I'm an artist!", forgetting anything that has to do with all the associated work. It is definitely not my kind of image at all, but in such cases I must accept that it is excellently done. I cna only hope to see more of this kind here!
Cheers!
Nick
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/10/2008
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Gustavo, I was there and the bike too! So it was much more real than any reality that I could try to emulate with any kind of imaging software. Anything else would be only a cheap excuse from my side, and the only consequent thought about that is not to rely on the manipulating power of PS but to be more aware of the real world in future. That's the way top photography is done, with or without PS.
Cheers!
Nick
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/10/2008
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Oops, forgot that.
That parallel to Henri is another question to me. When I was shooting theses images I was not even aware of his work, and then I hear so often about that. Perhaps sometimes some similar way to look at such scenes, who knows? Anyway, I'm glad about that!
Nick
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Cropped left part off, dodged a bit the darker regions as a small idea of what could be done better. Thanks a lot guys! |
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/10/2008
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Yep! That's definitely what had to be done here, Andre! And it would have the additional advantage of decentering the scene, if I'd have turned the camera to the right to avoid that brighter part.
So, the resultand of all so creative suggestions here would be to to the camera towards the bottom right, which would also take that bike into the scene. I tred that as good as it can get from an afterwards manipulation, and I must say now big big thanks to you and all the guys that helped so much!
Cheers!
Nick
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Cropped left part off, dodged a bit the darker regions as a small idea of what could be done better. Thanks a lot guys! |
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Avi
{K:70138} 4/9/2008
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Yes, I use one of my friends as a set-up many times. The trick (as you said) is to make it look very very casual.. not to make it look like a set-up.
Taking one example from the pages of my good friend Deb:
http://www.usefilm.com/image/1258161.html
(in fact, this was chosen in the Delaware PSA PJ competition this year !!)
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Avi
{K:70138} 4/9/2008
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Precisely. In fact one of his best portrayals for me is in 'Meet John Doe', where he outlives the common man, while playing one !!
Curious that you mentioned the structural similarities of Gary and Jimmy Stewart - I agree ! (he is another very favourite actor of mine !.. Hitchcock.. gotta be !!)
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Gustavo Scheverin
{K:164501} 4/9/2008
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Por supuesto si la bicicleta hubiese estado toda en la escena habría sido mejor la foto, pero muchas veces uno no puede modificar la realidad y se toma le mejor foto que se puede y no la que se podría, bueno... ahí entra a jugar la magia de PS...;-)
Un abrazo!
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Andre Denis
{K:66407} 4/9/2008
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Yes Nick,
I would probably have taken away the very bright area at the left and then maybe brightened up the rest of the scene. Not too much brighter however. Anyway, then the mood would be changed so that the title would not fit.
As Avi says, almost an Henri, but not quite.
Andre
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/8/2008
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Oh, of course! I like Gary Cooper so much, in so many different films. (I always found quite a similarity of his and James Stewart's physiognomies especially in their older years.) It's his rather minimalistic play that I find very convincing in his roles - he seemed to know instinctively what was theatralically right, and just did that and nothing else. Such movies like for example "The legion of the condemned", or "Today we live", or "City streets" would be much less "real", much weaker without him.
And High Noon is one of those classics for me, that just can't be repeated. That throwing of the marshall's star in the smudge - do we have a reference to that by Clint Eastwood in "Dirty Harry", when Callahan throws his police mark too? I find the strong statement here to be similar in both films. We praise our goodness and we still need somebody to do the dirty job for us. And that somebody is then the "bad guy".
Cheers to that!
Nick
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/8/2008
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I think that the solution to the problem of light balance would be to simply turn the camera a bit downwards, Avi. This way:
1) The old bike would be on image
and
2) the highlights of the top part wouldn't be there, allowing thus a better metering without that extreme dynamics range that made it impossible to not have much details in the darker region on the street.
And a person leaning on the wall... what a great idea! Which makes yet another solution to the already mentioned problem: Wait for some other time of the day, when there are more people on the streets, and when the sun is no more as high to produce these unwanted extreme dynamics range!
Thanks a lot lot lot for the insight!
And no, a set-up is nothing wrong, provided the person doesn't pose like a "VIP". Hmmm, that idea about the Florence movie starts taking definite forms in my mind!
Cheers!
Nick
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/8/2008
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Yes, the same goes for me too, Dave! And I think that a good solution would be to turn the camera to the ground for avoiding the much stronger lights at the top of it. This would make it possible to balance over a much smaller region of dynamics, which in turn would make more exposure possible for the details in the dark parts and at the same time avoid to totally overexpose the highlights of the missing top. In addition this would include the whole bike, like Mohamed said, whichwould do good to the composition.
Thanks a lot - I have a good consistent line on this one now!
Nick
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/8/2008
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Thanks a lot for the nice comment again, Gustavo, though it has definitely its hard problems with lighting/contrast and composition too. Regarding the latter, I think that Mohamed is absolutely right. The bike would be better completely on image.
Cheers!
Nick
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Nick Karagiaouroglou
{K:127263} 4/8/2008
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Thanks a lot for the suggestion, Mohamed! I see what you mean and I think that indeed some more of the street would do good! That bike would be very very good to have in the image.
Best wishes,
Nick
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Avi
{K:70138} 4/7/2008
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oh and by the way - 'High Noon' - one of my favs of Gary Cooper. Seen some of his films ?
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Avi
{K:70138} 4/7/2008
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ohhhh... we almost had a Henri here.. a slight better metering inside those shadows and a lone man leaning against the wall..
There's nothing wrong in a set-up. Is there ?
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Dave Stacey
{K:150877} 4/7/2008
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I like the shot, Nick, and I'd like to see a bit more detail in the shadow areas.
Dave.
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Gustavo Scheverin
{K:164501} 4/7/2008
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Una muy interesante arquitectura, bella y antigua, el encuadre me gusta mucho.
Bien hecho!
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mohamed sobhy
{K:2186} 4/7/2008
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wish if the shot was lower , and the bic was in the foreground of the composition, gr8 shot
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