October 2009 - Daily Photos
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October 2, 2009
Note for Ray (see comments below) - whoever you are. If you don't like sites like this - why are you posting here? Why comment on my photo? Why are you venting via your comment to me about how you are not making as much money as you were pre-digital? I am not trying to sell this photo - at least not now. I post to the daily photo as a hobby - something that brings ME enjoyment and satisfaction - not because I want to have someone hang a photo of mine in thier home or office. For the most part the dailys are filled with some really nice people. I have found a lot of encouragement, friendship, inspiration and some damn amazing photos that have literally made my jaw drop. I am never negative with anyone here. If I don't find a photo to my liking I usually just pass it by. I feel no need to unleash my own personal feelings of failure, insecurities or frustration out on the people here - and quite honestly - they don't deserve it, want it or ask for it. And - neither have I. So..... Why me? Why comment that crap on my photo? Seriously - take it to someone who cares. OK?
Secondly - I took it and I made it. This is an HDR photo. Are you familiar with that term or is it to "digital" for you? Is this straight out of the camera - heck no - but neither was Ansel Adams stuff (and I am by no means comparing myself to him). Seriously we use the technology we have at our disposal to improve a photograph. Some have issues with it - some don't. Do I try to get as much right in camera - of course - don't we all? But I also happen to be one of those strange characters who really like the look of an HDR photo. So I will go ahead and share the details of what I did - maybe it will help you with your quest to move shall we say - from the dark room to the light room. Now I hope I can remember it all - it was late - I was playing more than worrying about some critique - so bare with me. After I ran the 3 exposures through Photo Matrix and tone mapped it, I opened it in photoshop (elements 5 to be exact). I adjusted the lighting a bit. I "healed" some dust spots (gotta clean my sensor again - hate doing that). For some reason the tree came out a bit to reddish when I tone mapped it (still learning all of that stuff) so I opened a brush and added a bit of a pine green to the tree to make it more natural. I cloned out a garbage can and then cloned a bush or two where I took the garbage can out. Then I thought - what the hell - and I ran that brush I used on the tree over the grass - very lightly. I burned the landscape/city area at the horizon because it was kind of light. I removed some noise, added a very slight vignette and sharpened the overall photo. Oh - I also added a warming filter. Sorry buckeroo - almost forgot that one. That is it. I did not change the color of the sky at all - no enhancement there - it really did look like that. If it didn't I wouldn't have been sitting in my husbands car with the damn window opened trying to shelter the camera from the rain that was blowing in. Yes - it was still raining when I took that - just on the edge of the storm. This shot was facing west and the storms yesterday came out of the northwest.
Well Ray - that is about all I have to say to you. You are more than welcome to continue to comment on my photography in any manner that you wish. I don't post here to sell these - at least night right now- maybe in the future - eh - I dunno. I photograph what *I* like. I photograph what makes *ME* happy and if someone else likes it to - great. If not - oh well. Variety is the spice of life - is it not?
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Good Lord Ray - this is getting tiresome. How did I afford my Canon 5DM2? With the year end bonus my husband earned working as a principal engineering manager. I am extremely fortunate - I realize that. I am also very greatful that God has blessed us with providing my husband a job that pays him handsomely for all the hard work he does. I do not post on this community for ANY type of compensation. I post here because I enjoy it. A daily photo is a great way of challenging myself to pick up my camera every day, to get out there, to work on my eye, to learn new and better editing techniques. I sincerely hope you are able to find peace in your work and your life so that you are no longer compelled to create discord in places it really doesn't belong.
Emily - I love you too Babe. Seeing you and Kylie come to my defense like this - well it makes me proud. Don't let this lil "Ray of sunshine" put a cloud on your day. He isn't putting one on mine.
Abby
on October 4, 2009Beautiful image, Jennifer. Stunning. I want to go lie under that tree for hours.........great work!
352891EmilyD
on October 4, 2009Excuse me, "Ray", but how dare you call my mother an "insecure twit"! Who are you?! And, why do you feel the need to get on this kind of community and go off on someone that hasn't ever said a word to you. Is this really all you have to do in your free time? If you're photography is only selling for $3, what does that say about it? My mother doesn't do photography to go off and make tons of money, that isn't what makes her want to do it. She does it because it's what truly makes her happy. I feel sorry for you that you seem so unhappy about your situation. But you have no right to go off on someone who is just doing what they love. She never asked for your opinion. Why are you so upset that she is fortunate enough to be able to afford the camera, computer, and software that she has? It just amazes me that someone of your age could act like such a preppy teenage girl and start drama like this with someone you don't even know. Now how about you just go off to a new site and leave this one alone, because apparently no one wants you here.
Ray
on October 4, 2009In fact my very next comment was: "Did you "take this" or "make this"? The foreground appears to be a diff time of day than the background. No prob either way. Just curious." Now let's hear what you have to say about my ACTUAL point: How do you afford a nice camera, nice computer, great software and the hours spent creating it - When your the only compensation you expect are a few nice words? Must be nice to be able to afford to give it away.
Ray
on October 4, 2009After reading your response I had to re-read my post to see why you were so defensive about the post shot processing. Result: No idea! I wasn't critical about how it came to be. Just that they are given up by those more eager for praise than a fair exchange. You gave so much of your time and resources in exchange for a compliment. Imagine the oil cartels suddenly deciding there was more value in people thinking well of them rather than profit. At first thought it would be great! On second thought there would be so much mindless consumption that it would be a nightmare! BTW I type this with one hand. The other is broken. The result of getting out of the car, getting caught in the rain, after dark, trying to capture some unique images. I have not given up. And I've never been in a darkroom. I am a contemporary who would like to quite my day job (Computer Engineer) and make a living doing what I've been preparing 30 years for (started shooting as a teen). P.S. My opening words were: "Great Shot" you insecure twit.
Ed Spadoni
on October 3, 2009First, compliments on a great image, both as taken and as processed. You have talent.
Second, I concur that the DailyPhotos community is filled with nice people who, by and large, really know how to make great images, and for me, their comments are truly valued. I know when I receive comments on an image, that at least it rang a bell for someone. When I receive none, that's people's way of saying, "try harder". I'm good with that.
Lastly, Ray sounds like he has lost whatever success he once had in photography due to an increasing number of talented photogs such as yourself, (that he views as competition), and the ease with which we can share our work.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and can choose to change or not. I like what you're doing.
fotomom
on October 3, 2009I really like the setting with the tree to the left, the water ahead, and the beauty of the sky.
This photo is especially special to me that you took the time to share that it was still raining, that your hubby was with you, and that you and the camera were trying to avoid getting wet. Great job!
Great words back at Ray to tell him how it is!
428857RichardKane
on October 3, 2009Brilliant!
310343normvz
on October 3, 2009Give him hell D.... I wonder if he is mad at the Great Masters of the 1600's because they were able to paint over their mistakes. Writers change words... painters paint over errors. Digital photographers can take more than one photo and choose the best. He's just immature. And what expense is there?...... Once you buy the camera your done,,, Not like buying film for every shot and chemicals for the dark room. He's confused. Good capture here....... Trees look are sharp and good composition.
InOurTime
on October 3, 2009very nice image..love the sky...
george fillmore (gefillmore)
on October 3, 2009very nice jennifer-