Lesson 8 "Coming Home"

[Laura Marie ODonnell]

Here is my artistic image to tell the story of an orphan girl who married a boy from a large family of eight.
This picture represents him carrying her on their new journey together from her solitary past, finally she has arrived at “home”. I used a vignette because i wanted to have my audience feel as if they were looking into a viewfinder of their life to come.
[attachment=1:1hlrj4mx]original_edited-1-2.jpg[/attachment:1hlrj4mx]

Here is the original which I found too colorful to describe the story.
[attachment=0:1hlrj4mx]Original Photo.jpg[/attachment:1hlrj4mx]

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Hey Laura,

Thanks for another submission. You are sure getting through the course quickly! Good on ya!

First the EXIF data.
[attachment=2:2uguqmmd]Original Photo EXIF.png[/attachment:2uguqmmd]
Date Time Original: 2013:02:13 01:40:29
Exposure Time: 1/250
F Number: f / 4.50
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 40mm
White Balance: Manual white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 240/10 700/10 28/10 28/10
LensModel: 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8
Lens: 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8
Exif Version:
Date Time Digitized: 2013:02:13 01:40:29
Shutter Speed Value: 7.97
Aperture Value: 4.34
Exposure Bias: 2
Max Aperture Value: 3
Light Source: Fine weather
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 728
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 60mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 218
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:02:13 14:07:32
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.1 (Macintosh)
DateCreated: 2013-02-13T01:40:29-05:00

[attachment=1:2uguqmmd]original_edited-1-2 EXIF.png[/attachment:2uguqmmd]
Date Time Original: 2013:02:13 01:40:29
Exposure Time: 1/250
F Number: f / 4.50
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 40mm
White Balance: Manual white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 240/10 700/10 28/10 28/10
LensModel: 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8
Lens: 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8
Exif Version:
Date Time Digitized: 2013:02:13 01:40:29
Shutter Speed Value: 7.97
Aperture Value: 4.34
Exposure Bias: 2
Max Aperture Value: 3
Light Source: Fine weather
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 728
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 60mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 218
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:02:13 14:28:46
Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.1 (Macintosh)
DateCreated: 2013-02-13T01:40:29-05:00

My knee jerk reaction to this is to want to see the image from the exact opposite direction. It’s rare that seeing someones back in a photograph really works.

Also from a composition standpoint I’m not sure I like the centered framing. Something tighter might work better?

[attachment=0:2uguqmmd]Original Photo cropped.png[/attachment:2uguqmmd]

I like that you’ve tried something interesting and creative here.

It seems like the vibrance and saturation of the original image is a bit high. Did you do this in post? Or is there a scene setting setup in your camera?

I would encourage you to keep playing around with creative ideas.

Don’t forget some of the basics. Like shooting in nice light and getting close. Those two simple ideas will always dramatically improve your images.

Always try to fill your frame with super interesting stuff.

Also try to take it easy on the post processing of your images. Over time you will find that heavily processed don’t look as good.

I’m just as guilty as the next guy for over processing but try not to do it!

Do you have any questions about this one?

[Laura Marie ODonnell]

I agree with your critiques about the post production!
I submitted this a few days ago now that I had time away and came back, I feel i would not have done as much vignette takes away from the moment of being simply a lovely moment.
Instead i should have shot/cropped a closer angle to try and capture the same moment using the camera lens as the viewpoint.
As far as the direction I shot I actually think I might have done it in the same direction but much closer and not have shown the face of the bride. This way everyone viewing this picture can see themselves as being the bride to make it a more personal feeling.
Lastly….viewing this picture with fresh eyes again I want something old fashioned looking to show time aging… might play with this again and resend it for fun! 😀

[Laura Marie ODonnell]

[attachment=1:vcu9ceu2]2013 02 12_3393_edited-1-2.jpg[/attachment:vcu9ceu2]
I like this shot much beter. I like the couple is close up using the camera lens as a method of tunnel vision into their story instead of using the heavy vignette editing. I also have them to the left instead of the center but you can still see the winding road.
The sepia color signifies time aging giving it an antique feeling. I like you can’t see the brides face to allow any view to put themselves in this picture and self reflect remembering their day no matter how many years ago it was. 😉
Original picture
[attachment=0:vcu9ceu2]2013 02 12_3393_edited-2-2.jpg[/attachment:vcu9ceu2]

[Duncan Rawlinson]

These two new images are much improved!

In fact the lines in this image are great! The road/path and the tree are fantastic.

Even the sepia tone works here.

I really do think showing your subject’s faces would improve the photograph.

I always lean towards including people and their faces in photographs. You almost can’t lose showing people’s faces in images. We are programmed to be interested in reading people’s expressions and looking for faces. In fact if you notice you can almost always imagine a face in any kind of abstract pattern.

In any case I like what you’ve done here and you have already shown tremendous progress in short span of time.

Nice!

[Author]

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