Trial Lighting Effects

[rogleale]

A Calvaire erected in the pine forest to give thanks for having three sons survive the Great War. Very difficult to take a good picture of it because of all the trees, so I tried to make it more interesting by using the lighting effects filters after converting to black and white. Any comments?

Roger

[coupekid]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

A Calvaire erected in the pine forest to give thanks for having three sons survive the Great War. Very difficult to take a good picture of it because of all the trees, so I tried to make it more interesting by using the lighting effects filters after converting to black and white. Any comments?

Roger

Hi Roger,

Its a smashing picture, I love the composition, however, I am not so keen on those lighting effects.

There seems to be some strange artifacts around the leaves?

[cowcrzy06]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

Roger,

I have to say I agree with Ben on this one. The green colors as they appear on my screen seem too distracting for me. IMO black and white or even a sepia effect may be nice. But I am not sure you may have already tried that! The angle is great, It gives it a powerful feeling! Nice shot!

[Stephen]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

A Calvaire erected in the pine forest to give thanks for having three sons survive the Great War. Very difficult to take a good picture of it because of all the trees, so I tried to make it more interesting by using the lighting effects filters after converting to black and white. Any comments?

Roger

Roger, I'm going to be blunt here so don't be upset.
I think you are just pushing buttons here to see what happens.
I think the picture composition etc is good and there is potential for some effective post processing, but I'm not at all keen on what you have done so far.

I'd be inclined to use curves and try altering colours by choosing the Red curve first and distorting the curve. push up the left side and pull down the right Maybe try some split toning.

There are also lots of possibilities in the brilliant Virtual Photographer plugin for you to play with. Choose a preset then play around with it and try to be creative.

The effect you have created so far reminds me of those 3D images where you put Red & Green glasses on to see the image in 3D

[Autumn]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

[QUOTE=rogleale;17220]A Calvaire erected in the pine forest to give thanks for having three sons survive the Great War. Very difficult to take a good picture of it because of all the trees, so I tried to make it more interesting by using the lighting effects filters after converting to black and white. Any comments?

Roger

Hi Roger

I am replying before I have read other people's comments as I am easily influenced.

First of all I don't normally like this sort of image, but you have made an impressive presentation of it. I like the toning of the statue but feel a little more could be brought out near his feet.


PS Now I have read what the others have to say. I agree about the turquoise artefacts. I hadn't looked hard enough before and therefore hadn't noticed them.
I like the diagonal presentation. I also think the background suits the statue.

The frame does not do a lot for me. I feel a plainer one would be more suitable.

Just my opinion, you understand.

I will now read what the others have said.

[Bearface]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

Hi,

The image itself seems basically okay, but the processing is a tad experimental and isn't really adding anything postive to the overall feel of the shot. Rather than worrying too much about the background, I'd suggest trying to get detail crops of the figure using a shallow DOF to blur the trees and to create a sense of depth and dimension to the image.

[rogleale]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

Hi All,
Thanks for taking the time to look at the photo and commenting.
Coupekid, you are quite right, there are some strange artifacts around the branches, totally accidental, but left there for comments. What is really unusual is how they got there. The image was very flat and low contrast because of the poor lighting, so I isolated the figure on its own layer, converted the background to b&w, merged the layers, and applied the lighting effects to illuminate the torso and head. This is when the artifacts appeared on what was in b&w, and it does not happen if I don't flatten the image.
Jennifer, tried many different effects, and this one certainly produced some comments!
Audrey, thanks for the kind words.
Stephen, I don't mind you being blunt at all, and I don't want to start a flame, but coming from a professional I find your "pushing buttons" a tad condescending, especially as you then go on to suggest which buttons to push!! None of us know everything about Photoshop, and pushing buttons is the best way to find out what they all do. This was just one of many ways I tried to get the effect I was after.
Bearface, Noted & thanks.

Roger

[Bearface]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

...but coming from a professional I find your "pushing buttons" a tad condescending, especially as you then go on to suggest which buttons to push!!

Roger, while I'm sure Stephen can answer for himself, I don't actually see how or why you think he was being condescending.........blunt perhaps, but not condescending. Like me, he could see that the processing you'd used looked a bit experimental and he simply suggested a different approach, which is precisely the purpose of this particular thread section.

Sometimes it can be a bit tricky deciphering the sentiment or intent in a written post and it's very easy to misinterpret what people are trying to say, let alone how they meant to come across. Knowing Stephen as I do, I can only assure you that when he passes comment on photos (as he does with mine quite often) you simply get good, honest criticism without any unnecessary garnish

[Ian]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

Hi Roger, I want to echo Tim's reply - I'm absolutely sure that Stephen didn't mean for you to feel he was condescending, though he was sensitive to the fact that his words could be taken that way - hence the preface.

Stephen appears to be out this morning, but I'm sure when he returns later I'm sure he will want to reassure you.

On an aside - I had never come across these Calvaires before. Presumably as it celebrates surviving WW1 it's nearly 90 years old? Are they free-standing or attached to a tree? Are they quite common?

Thanks,

Ian

[Stephen]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

Hi Roger, I hear what you are saying re my comments, didn't mean to come across in that way, my apologies. The term 'pushing buttons' as Bearface suggests is one that refers to being experimental with some of the stuff in the filters menu of photoshop. I suppose we've all played with them. I tend to think many of them are for use by graphic artists rather than photographers, something that photoshop was originally concieved for. The fact is I've come across it many times where someone will apply a filter, like the effect then present it as their 'creative work' , with actually very little creative input from themselves. Working with levels and tones and colour as well as contrast, noise etc can be IMHO more creative in the 'picture making'

I think you have a potentially great source photograph here and with a little effort will make an eyecatching and appealing image. I mentioned the Virtual Photographer plugin, which frankly can be another button pushing option , but truly you can tweak and adapt the preset and create some wonderful effects with it, all of which is personal input.

[rogleale]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

No need for apologies Stephen, I was a bit prickly at the time, and getting frustrated with my efforts. The problem is that the tonal range is very limited because of the gloomy lighting in the woods, I intend to go back at a different time of day to try again. Even the improved curves in LR were not too much help!

Roger

[rogleale]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

Hi Ian,
There are loads of Calvaires in Bretagne but mainly in churchyards, and much older. They are all free-standing but this one is unusual by being so large, so young, and being on a popular coastal footpath so seen by thousands of people every year.
I don't think it would be permissible to erect one now, but there are sometimes more primitive, temporary ones erected by the roadside where someone has been killed.

Roger

[Tinka]

Re: Trial Lighting Effects

Hi,
An interesting and dramatic image and experiment, I do like this kind of imagery, and the unpredictable results you can get, sometimes they produce some superb images and effects and are mostly unrepeatable so become unique. Not every persons cup of tea (What is?), but a unique and very interesting image.