25th April Bridge, Lisbon

[Autumn]

I took this image last week as we approach Lisbon. It was built by the people who built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

I cropped it and added a touch of sharpening.

I saw a border like this in Practical Photography, so thought I would try it for a change. They also described how to add "Stylish Captions." Not too sure myself. Is it a bit heavy?

I would welcome feedback on the picture and any suggestions for a more suitable border.

[Pol]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

I took this image last week as we approach Lisbon. It was built by the people who built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

I cropped it and added a touch of sharpening.

I saw a border like this in Practical Photography, so thought I would try it for a change. They also described how to add "Stylish Captions." Not too sure myself. Is it a bit heavy?

I would welcome feedback on the picture and any suggestions for a more suitable border.

I really like the picture, very pleasant, uncluttered and rather tasteful imho. The sun looks beautiful placed under the bridge, nice graded colours in the sky and lovely reflection of the sun on the water.

I must admit I like to view almost all my own images centred against a black screen so I don't find the border heavy. In fact I like it and I feel it's appropriate for the image. It's probably what I might have chosen to do myself had the image been mine.

Only one point about the border -- I can see some white edges of the image in places so perhaps it needs an extra couple of pixels added onto the inside of the border.


Pol

[Autumn]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

I really like the picture, very pleasant, uncluttered and rather tasteful imho. The sun looks beautiful placed under the bridge, nice graded colours in the sky and lovely reflection of the sun on the water.

I must admit I like to view almost all my own images centred against a black screen so I don't find the border heavy. In fact I like it and I feel it's appropriate for the image. It's probably what I might have chosen to do myself had the image been mine.

Only one point about the border -- I can see some white edges of the image in places so perhaps it needs an extra couple of pixels added onto the inside of the border.

Pol

Thanks for your input Pol. I know about the white edges. In fact, it should have been a 2 pixel stroke of the pale orange colour, but when I reduced it this is what happened.

I have to say I usually use stroke and dropped shadow and I had put that on first and then tried to (unsuccessfully) crop it to add the dark border. I should have zoomed in to make it tighter. This is why the pale orange didn't quite come through.

I will try it again. In the magazine, it was white stroke with black border, but I thought it looked better with a dark colour picked from the picture.

I will have another go and make an Action. Thanks anyway, I'm glad you like it. I took some portrait and some landscape. Not quite sure which I like best.

[Pol]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

Thanks for your input Pol. I know about the white edges. In fact, it should have been a 2 pixel stroke of the pale orange colour, but when I reduced it this is what happened.

I have to say I usually use stroke and dropped shadow and I had put that on first and then tried to (unsuccessfully) crop it to add the dark border. I should have zoomed in to make it tighter. This is why the pale orange didn't quite come through.

I will try it again. In the magazine, it was white stroke with black border, but I thought it looked better with a dark colour picked from the picture.

I will have another go and make an Action. Thanks anyway, I'm glad you like it. I took some portrait and some landscape. Not quite sure which I like best.

I wondered if it might have been an orange stroke in places - was almost tempted to suggest a small orange edge between the picture and the black in fact. I think that's a good idea, worth trying. I often pick out one of the image colours too - then I sometimes stroke at about 50% and do the border at about 75%.

I'm inclined to agree a colour + black would be nicer than white + black.


Pol

[Autumn]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

I wondered if it might have been an orange stroke in places - was almost tempted to suggest a small orange edge between the picture and the black in fact. I think that's a good idea, worth trying. I often pick out one of the image colours too - then I sometimes stroke at about 50% and do the border at about 75%.

I'm inclined to agree a colour + black would be nicer than white + black.


Pol

50% and 75% of what Pol? This is where I am struggling a bit as I am trying to copy the 'Look' in the mag, but they don't talk about borders, just about text.

[Pol]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

50% and 75% of what Pol? This is where I am struggling a bit as I am trying to copy the 'Look' in the mag, but they don't talk about borders, just about text.

I refer to 50-75% of the foreground colour when you do the strokes. I'm attaching a screenshot of the stroke dialogue box so you can see where I enter the percentage I want.

I often do a 1 pixel stroke at 50% around the edge of the image.

After I've expanded the canvas I usually do a 6 or 7 pixel stroke at 75% for the final frame (that's if I want to leave a white space between the picci and the border).

If you want pure black you'd need to stroke at 100%


Pol

[Autumn]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

I have had another go. This one is portrait.

Which do you think looks the better, assuming the borders were both the same as the portrait one?

Also, with a picture like this if I straighten the horizon, the uprights of the bridge aren't quite right.

Should the uprights be straightened by running the measure tool down the centre of the uprights?

Because of the perspective, I am not sure which one to use as datum.

I decided not to use the transform tool on this occasion, as I felt it could pull everything out of wad.

Look forward to your comments.

[Pol]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

I have had another go. This one is portrait.

Which do you think looks the better, assuming the borders were both the same as the portrait one?

Also, with a picture like this if I straighten the horizon, the uprights of the bridge aren't quite right.

Should the uprights be straightened by running the measure tool down the centre of the uprights?

Because of the perspective, I am not sure which one to use as datum.

I decided not to use the transform tool on this occasion, as I felt it could pull everything out of wad.

Look forward to your comments.

Yay - this portrait mode shot is a belter, for me anyway. I love it!

I like both shots but, for me, the portrait has height as well as distance and space and I feel the height somehow has more impact and grandeur than the landscape mode shot. I also like the way you framed it - it looks superb viewed against an all-black background screen.

My personal opinion is that the level horizon is essential but the perspective of the bridge uprights is fine as it is. In fact I'd go so far as to say the perspective is ideal as it adds even more to the feeling of height and space - alongside that lovely sunset reaching out and reflecting on the water.

Pol

[Autumn]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

Yay - this portrait mode shot is a belter, for me anyway. I love it!

I like both shots but, for me, the portrait has height as well as distance and space and I feel the height somehow has more impact and grandeur than the landscape mode shot. I also like the way you framed it - it looks superb viewed against an all-black background screen.

My personal opinion is that the level horizon is essential but the perspective of the bridge uprights is fine as it is. In fact I'd go so far as to say the perspective is ideal as it adds even more to the feeling of height and space - alongside that lovely sunset reaching out and reflecting on the water.

Pol

Thanks so much for your input Pol. IMO I think the portrait one has it. BTW it was sunrise not sunset - according to the ship's log which they kindly gave us -

0724 Pass under the Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge.

I really couldn't wait, as the last time we called at Lisbon on a cruise, I took loads of photographs of the bridge as we were leaving and I thought I had some cracking ones, but unfortunately that was one of the 3 times I lost all my images as the Canon G3 was not compatible with that particular compact flash and it just fried it, so I was hoping I would be able to gets some pics this time and I was happy with the result.

[Pol]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

Thanks so much for your input Pol. IMO I think the portrait one has it. BTW it was sunrise not sunset - according to the ship's log which they kindly gave us -

0724 Pass under the Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge.

I really couldn't wait, as the last time we called at Lisbon on a cruise, I took loads of photographs of the bridge as we were leaving and I thought I had some cracking ones, but unfortunately that was one of the 3 times I lost all my images as the Canon G3 was not compatible with that particular compact flash and it just fried it, so I was hoping I would be able to gets some pics this time and I was happy with the result.

I think I remember the time you mentioned losing loads of shots when the card had failed. You certainly made up for it this time though!

I dare bet there aren't many sunrise pix from that particular location. Everything came together nicely. You even got a perfect sunrise - the way those sky colours gradually change from blue through to red is fabulous.

I'd be thrilled if it were my shot ..... even more thrilled if I'd been on the holiday too.

Pol

[Autumn]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

Funny thing is Pol, I didn't even use levels. It is just as is was shot except for straightening. I think I had my ND filter on the G3.

Now you can have a laugh. We were late booking so we had to have an inside cabin. Which I would never do from choice, although they are cheaper.

Anyway, as we were arriving in Vigo (NW Spain), I thought, I wonder if there is a good sunrise. Well the only way of seeing is to switch on the webcam on the tv and mute it, (because him indoors was asleep ). Well there was the most stunning sunrise, I shot out of bed threw on some clothes got my camera and shot up on deck, only to find it was dark and the moon was out and a very few people lurking around. It wasn't long before the sun rose but it certainly wasn't spectacular. When I got back to the cabin, this sunrise was still there. I found out it was just a picture and the webcam was on another channel showing it exactly as it was.

[coupekid]

Re: 25th April Bridge, Lisbon

I took this image last week as we approach Lisbon. It was built by the people who built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

I cropped it and added a touch of sharpening.

I saw a border like this in Practical Photography, so thought I would try it for a change. They also described how to add "Stylish Captions." Not too sure myself. Is it a bit heavy?

I would welcome feedback on the picture and any suggestions for a more suitable border.

Hi Autumn,

I love this shot, and prefer it to the portrait. The balance of the picture is spot on. However, I personally would opt for a much more discreet border, as it is a little too heavy on the eye. (also, i see what Pol said regarding the little white marks)

Cheers,
Ben