Photo of the day or edit of the day

[Reinardina]

Exactly the sort of thing I'm after.

Thank you.

Getting to work now.

[Reinardina]

This is how far I've got.
Not quite sure whether I've got the dimensions right, and haven't worked on a shadow yet either.
Do I need one, or could the light be so diffuse (is that the right word?) that there are no shadows?
All advice welcome.


The Exhibition.

[SimonW]

Hi Reinardina, If you hadn't asked I'd probably have accepted that shot as it stands, but now I think perhaps some slight darkening around the feet might be all it needs. Simon

[Reinardina]

Hi Reinardina, If you hadn't asked I'd probably have accepted that shot as it stands, but now I think perhaps some slight darkening around the feet might be all it needs. Simon

I tried that, and couldn't do it. I think I'll try Alan's suggestion, of just showing the top half of the girl, thus doing away with the need for a shadow.

At the moment it's very much a work in progress, and I am so engrossed in it, that I find it difficult to concentrate on other, more mundane, things.

I could use this shot, or this idea, to highlight new images that I want to 'show off.'
A rolling exhibition of personal favourites.

[Reinardina]

Tried all sorts to get the right picture. Struggled to get a shadow, gave up, changed the floor to a wooden one (and a straight one), cut off the girl's legs, to place her, á la Alan,  more in the foreground to eliminate the need for a shadow. Found that I had to resize the girl and the image looked okay, till I reduced it for online use. The original picture of the girl was too small and pixelated. (Hope I make sense.)

In the end I went back to the original shot, straightened the floor, put the girl in a slightly different position, replaced the image on the left with the 'Gauguin' version and struggled again to get a shadow, which, in the end I managed.

So here it is. All comments and advice still welcome. (I seem to have hi-jacked this thread and turned it into a 'How to' tutorial.)

[Beaux Reflets]

Hi Reinardina,

It is a very brave effort starting from scratch to build a scene, but unfortunately in my opinion, your scene does not pick up the subtle nuances of the changing light that exists in real situations. The easiest way to create a scene of a gallery exhibition, is to photograph one and then simply change the images on the wall.

This is not to say your effort is worthless, but to get it to look more realistic you need to achieve the changes of light as found in three dimensional forms, remembering objects absorb and reflect the light. More especially when inserting a person edited into a photograph I always try and remember the phrase "do you like butter?" (the reflection game of a buttercup held under a chin).

The direction of light/s, temperature tones, and consequence in shadows, are also important towards convincing the observer.

Hope this helps

[Hinfrance]

That's all true Andy, but notwithstanding your observations I bet Re has learned a lot about how to work with her photo editor

[Beaux Reflets]

That's all true Andy, but notwithstanding your observations I bet Re has learned a lot about how to work with her photo editor

Absolutely Howard, I raise my hat to all who have a bash at being creative; creating convincing scenes from scratch pixel by pixel is the hardest thing to do, for even digital painting artists usually copy a scene that is in front of them or one that they are very familiar with.

[Beaux Reflets]

One from yesterday, adjusted to overcome the lens distortion, with a little dodge and burn for atmospheric effect.



Break In

[Reinardina]

That's all true Andy, but notwithstanding your observations I bet Re has learned a lot about how to work with her photo editor

Absolutely Howard, I raise my hat to all who have a bash at being creative; creating convincing scenes from scratch pixel by pixel is the hardest thing to do, for even digital painting artists usually copy a scene that is in front of them or one that they are very familiar with.

Thank you both.
Andy, I know you're right, but it will take years for me to master all that! And I'm not sure I want to go to those lengths.
This started out as a game almost, a bit of fun, a blank sheet.
I realise there is still a lot of work to do, if I want to make it 'real.' Also got advice on Flickr about the shadow.
It has taken a lot of time and I have to do other things now. I may come back to it later.

[Reinardina]

One from yesterday, adjusted to overcome the lens distortion, with a little dodge and burn for atmospheric effect.



Break In

It's beautiful, very atmospheric.

[Beaux Reflets]

That's all true Andy, but notwithstanding your observations I bet Re has learned a lot about how to work with her photo editor

Absolutely Howard, I raise my hat to all who have a bash at being creative; creating convincing scenes from scratch pixel by pixel is the hardest thing to do, for even digital painting artists usually copy a scene that is in front of them or one that they are very familiar with.

Thank you both.
Andy, I know you're right, but it will take years for me to master all that! And I'm not sure I want to go to those lengths.
This started out as a game almost, a bit of fun, a blank sheet.
I realise there is still a lot of work to do, if I want to make it 'real.' Also got advice on Flickr about the shadow.
It has taken a lot of time and I have to do other things now. I may come back to it later.

Truth is that I am constantly trying to master the art of editing Reinardina. It is a constant learning curve, and as  you say we can always revisit and adjust an image at a future date (which I often do).

Have a good weekend and thankyou for your kind comments re Break In - very much appreciated 

[ABERS]

your scene does not pick up the subtle nuances of the changing light that exists in real situations. The easiest way to create a scene of a gallery exhibition, is to photograph one and then simply change the images on the wall.

Here's a picture taken at Tate Britain, an actual picture not a devised one. Where are subtle nuances of changing light here?

[Beaux Reflets]

your scene does not pick up the subtle nuances of the changing light that exists in real situations. The easiest way to create a scene of a gallery exhibition, is to photograph one and then simply change the images on the wall.

Here's a picture taken at Tate Britain, an actual picture not a devised one. Where are subtle nuances of changing light here?

I may have not explained very well but the subtle nuances of changing light refers to areas that are seemingly not quite as well illuminated as other areas in respect to their distance from the light source and the camera, as well as the refracting and reflecting light that bounces colour off and is absorbed by different objects and surfaces.

I well imagine that if you run a clone brush tool picking up yellow (floor?) detail from the foot of your photograph (e.g. bottom right corner) planting that colour tone to an area just below the skirting (further to the left near the person in view) the cloned marking would be quite visible in such areas.

[ABERS]

One from yesterday, adjusted to overcome the lens distortion, with a little dodge and burn for atmospheric effect.



Break In

Just goes to show that pictures are everywhere, a simple view through a sunlit window. I find that the square highlight in the bottom second from the left pane of glass a bit distracting and although there are some articles in front of the window within the room the lit candle could be extinguished with just the light playing on its container.

Just a thought.