Sony A7x lounge

not me! I can't process myself out of a wet paper bag!
Calling Navydoc

Ok. Scratch the word "Contest". I just meant to get a bunch of others showing me what my shots can look like when in the hands of someone else. Because I'm convinced the subject matter and composition are ok (maybe not great, but ok) but I cannot seem to get them to have that pop or styling that I see throughout these forums where I go "Now that's nice!".

I'll share a raw file later tonight and see what you guys can do with it.

Puckman wrote in post #18025515
Oh man! I've been dying to shoot the Vincent Thomas bridge in a while at night. You nailed it.
Seriously, we gotta go back out there soon!

wait, you've been there before? This was my first time, wish I knew about it sooner. I took a shot from another location with a long lens, but there were serious issues with the photo. Got some pretty devastating rays, not sure if it's due to reflections or what. Jonathon has a similar shot from the FE 70-200G which he will send to me for evaluation. Seriously, I cant figure it out and I'm really interested to see what he gives me. The other location is for a telephoto type shot, really cool, and my images sharp as can be, but flare or whatever kinda killed it. If indeed an issue with the lens, I'll be looking real hard at either FE 70-200/70-300.

screw it, here's the shot, not very happy about the light rays

if you've got a bracket set, even better

When I left the big Zodiac at Ny-Alesund I forced myself to carry solely my must unused lens--the 55/1.8
Ny-Alesund is a multinational research station (northern most inhabited village in the world)...typical rules apply
while ambling about taking photos=must be accompanied by a guide with a rifle or carry your own.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/GNBN​rf

digital_AM wrote in post #18025506
I would like to get your feedback on this portrait. It's not my usual editing style but I think it works for the mood of this photo. I think black and white may also work nicely. I'm not crazy about my son's expression here but the a few frames later he did smile slightly. Unfortunately, he also moved a bit so focus was off.

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …i-zrnsfHN-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A on Smugmug

i love the moody lighting here. awesome.

PS: the expression of your son is perfect for the mood. and yes a cinematic color grading is split toning is the best for that for me.

Puckman wrote in post #18025519
You guys are killing me with the mad PP skills. I've been really struggling lately. In fact, I went shooting the San Clemente pier last night and am trying to edit the pics right now and hating everything I do.
Considering putting one of the raw files up here for you guys to do your magic on.
I want to prove to myself that there is nothing wrong with the pics, just my editing.

Who's up for a contest of sorts?

put it on.

Charlie wrote in post #18025537
wait, you've been there before? This was my first time, wish I knew about it sooner. I took a shot from another location with a long lens, but there were serious issues with the photo. Got some pretty devastating rays, not sure if it's due to reflections or what. Jonathon has a similar shot from the FE 70-200G which he will send to me for evaluation. Seriously, I cant figure it out and I'm really interested to see what he gives me. The other location is for a telephoto type shot, really cool, and my images sharp as can be, but flare or whatever kinda killed it. If indeed an issue with the lens, I'll be looking real hard at either FE 70-200/70-300.

screw it, here's the shot, not very happy about the light rays

Hosted photo: posted by Charlie in
./showthread.php?p=180​25537&i=i79236855
forum: Sony Digital Cameras

That's a shame about the rays. That's a wonderful shot with beautiful lighting!
Yes. I've been wanting to shoot this bridge for ages. Just never sure where to shoot it from. Looks like you guys found a good vantage point.
Let me know next time. I'll join.

Also, here is one of my edits from last night...Not the same shot as the raw provided, but similar composition.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/GNFY​YQ

Here you go. Give this one a try.

https://www.dropbox.co​m …i408v57/DSC0003​2.ARW?dl=0

digital_AM wrote in post #18025506
I would like to get your feedback on this portrait. It's not my usual editing style but I think it works for the mood of this photo. I think black and white may also work nicely. I'm not crazy about my son's expression here but the a few frames later he did smile slightly. Unfortunately, he also moved a bit so focus was off.

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …i-zrnsfHN-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A on Smugmug

I think the portrait works very well Alfredo. I like the subdued colors that help intensify the quiet, almost somber mood of the image.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18025508
Thanks for the suggestion! Tried it and didn't give me quite what I wanted (though I did use a layer with that adjustment set to 35% opacity), so I also added an HSL adj layer and targeted a hue shift with the cyans. Now the dead grass has a more warm straw-like hue without modifying the colors of the adjacent grass. A layer mask limited the effect to just the grassy areas. Hopefully it looks much improved now.

To my eyes, your adjustment does improve the already great sunset. It was the bluish cut grass that seemed out of place to me on my monitor.

Thanks for trying my suggestion and not be offended by it as always. You're a class act for sure.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18025529
Eriet my answer would be a resounding no. I'm at the point where I'd rather have a trip than a $4000 lens (in this case lens + TC). Me thinking
I can get better subjects via Delta or Southwest Airlines and use what I've got to the best of my ableness.

We just got back from the 3+ week trip and both of us swearing no more to big bags of kit (camera kit), both of us worn out from the weight.
We both promised each other, next big trip 1 major camera body + 3 lenses; a dinky camera (I actually used the RX100iii a bunch this time).
Because even then with chargers/batteries/my small laptop you end up with a pack I don't want to tote all day long.....my creative juices, what they
are, get zapped with sciatica and knee pain!

This time between the two of us we had 14 lenses=shame shame on us.

I guess I'm finally saying yep it's ok if I don't get the shot but do get the experience of being there versus I got the shot but was physically miserable
hefting all the stuff in and out in and out in and out daily.....

Based on your comments here Robert, I think you'll enjoy this video posted on the SonyAlphaRumors website.

Charlie wrote in post #18025537
wait, you've been there before? This was my first time, wish I knew about it sooner. I took a shot from another location with a long lens, but there were serious issues with the photo. Got some pretty devastating rays, not sure if it's due to reflections or what. Jonathon has a similar shot from the FE 70-200G which he will send to me for evaluation. Seriously, I cant figure it out and I'm really interested to see what he gives me. The other location is for a telephoto type shot, really cool, and my images sharp as can be, but flare or whatever kinda killed it. If indeed an issue with the lens, I'll be looking real hard at either FE 70-200/70-300.

screw it, here's the shot, not very happy about the light rays

Hosted photo: posted by Charlie in
./showthread.php?p=180​25537&i=i79236855
forum: Sony Digital Cameras

I like both images Charlie, and for this one, I like the light rays. They give the image a unique look to it that makes it stand out.

Thanks for sharing your raw file Nadim. Looks like I'll be the 1st to share what I quickly came up with.

I thought I'd just keep it simple so for this edit, after adjusting the white/black levels in ACR and bumping up the contrast using the new dehaze slider, I opened it back in PS where I used content aware scale to change the aspect ratio to be closer to 16:9 then cropped to that ratio, ran the image through Nik Color Effex 4's tonal contrast filter to pull out more details and them bumped up the saturation a bit more.

Edit: I had to add one more edit, this time running the image through Topaz Simplify and original aspect ratio.

David, thank you! I appreciate all the feedback from everyone.

This was shot with my Canon 70-200 II f2.8 lens. I think I had the teleconverter on and still very sharp.

I've always had Smugmug for hosting my personal images. I also use it as my portfolio site. I have it setup where certain parts are public and the rest private. I find that Flickr tends to darken my images and over sharpen.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18025510
Wow, I am in awe. Amazing Alfredo. This is so tender and sweet. The light is subtle, understated, and arrestingly elegant.

BTW, what lens? Did you switch to Smugmug?

Thank you Carlo!

mystik610 wrote in post #18025512
I like the expression. That's the expression of a kid being comforted by his mother.

Analogous colors. Comforting scene. Soft PP. Comes together nicely to me.

Thank you MM!

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #18025516
Nothing in this portrait I could fault. It , to my eye, has a very deep/almost melancholy look and feel that
gives (again to me) a very strong religious feel to a 'madonna'esque' capture.

Thank you Vinz!

vinmunoz wrote in post #18025576
i love the moody lighting here. awesome.

PS: the expression of your son is perfect for the mood. and yes a cinematic color grading is split toning is the best for that for me.

Gene, thank you!

navydoc wrote in post #18025670
I think the portrait works very well Alfredo. I like the subdued colors that help intensify the quiet, almost somber mood of the image.