daddy day cares Photo52 for 2010 part 1 weeks 1 to 26

[dan_yorkshire]

Great shot, the eyes are brilliant.

The bird could be in a host of different moods, hard to tell which.

Well done

 

[jollyjack]

Nice stare, Great detail great subject

 

[jgs001]

Stunning image Andy, amazing stare, wonderful feather details. Really like it. The fact she's not looking straight on I think really helps it...

 

[daddy day care]

Thanks again folks.

I wasn't happy with this theme (no change there then ) but this is what I came up with in the end.



It is the view over Stanley Pool where I take the children sailing. I took this while they finished packing the boats away and getting changed. Looks pretty peaceful to me.

This was a rare moment of peace for me. Having four kids means peace is something that other people have

All feedback welcome. I'm not overly impressed with this as an artistic piece of photography but it does convey the scene and mood at the time.

Andy

 

[justlooking]

certainly looks peaceful to me. For some reason it looks like the water horizon isn't quite level although I think it actually is. Must be my eyes!

 

[daddy day care]

I think it's the dark line line by the horizon on the left hand side that makes it look slightly off.

Either that or you've got a beer mat under one side of your monitor

Thanks for looking and taking the time to comment.

Andy

 

[clud17]

Hey Andy that's a pretty nice image, the colours are nice and warming and the blown highlights in the water emphasize the strength of the sun. The larger image looks much better and it fits the peaceful theme perfectly. Its a good job of a crappy theme!

 

[Harlequin565]

Having four kids means peace is something that other people have

If you found peace in a place like this, then it's bang on theme. The highlights are a little blown (on my screen) but other than that it's a nice peaceful scene.

Ian.

 

[DC2Z]

A good image and it looks much better in the larger size. It certainly looks a lovely peaceful place (at times)

 

[jennyb]

I like this one, Andy. It's a very peaceful scene. I agree that the horizon does not look quite level but I think it is an optical illusion. I also like the colours. They really warm the shot.

Jenny

 

[SarahLee]

I'm not overly impressed with this as an artistic piece of photography but it does convey the scene and mood at the time.

I disagree.
I think this is a beautiful shot. Lovely warm colours and it's definitely a serene, peaceful scene. The sky is beautiful and the highlights on the water are just the right side of being blown on my screen. Absolutely amazing sky too.

 

[daddy day care]

Thanks folks.

I'm glad you like it.

The warm colours are pretty accurate to the original scene. The most PP was a bit of a crop.

perhaps I am too critical of my own images :shrug:

Andy

 

[ladysue]

I think this is a beautiful shot and looks very peaceful. I'm glad you managed to find peace, if only for a few minutes.
Sue

 

[Sonial]

Certainly lovely lighting and beautifully peaceful must have been a lovely day sailing! One less on the child front but I know how hard it is to get any 'peace' time....makes you appreciate it more though

 

[Tracer]

Lovely lighting, colours and composition - really conveys a sense of peace. Although after the sort of day you must have had I'm surprised that you had the energy to notice and capture it!

 

[daddy day care]

I think this is a beautiful shot and looks very peaceful. I'm glad you managed to find peace, if only for a few minutes.
Sue

Thanks Sue.

Certainly lovely lighting and beautifully peaceful must have been a lovely day sailing! One less on the child front but I know how hard it is to get any 'peace' time....makes you appreciate it more though

You're not wrong there Sonia

Lovely lighting, colours and composition - really conveys a sense of peace. Although after the sort of day you must have had I'm surprised that you had the energy to notice and capture it!

Thanks. Tuesdays aren't too bad. We go sailing on Tuesday and Thursday evenings so we are only there for a couple of hours before we lose the light. Saturday is an all day job and can be quite tiring. If I'm at work the kids get a lift and go without me. SWMBO get's a lot more peace than I do. She stays at home

I'm really pleased at how well this has been recieved

Andy

 

[Digitall]

The only part of this image I do not like is the dark foreground on the right side, there is to much of it and there is no detail in it at all. Perhaps a crop to about half or just less might balance the image up as it also looks a bit heavy to the right. The rest of the scene is quite peaceful.

Allan

 

[daddy day care]

Thanks Allan,

There was more of the trees than that, I have already cropped it. I'll have to have another go and get a bit more off. I think I tried it and the balance didn't look right.

Andy

 

[OptimusBri]

I think it's a lovely image and definitely fits the theme Nice silhouettes and reflection of the sun in the water.

 

[jeangenie]

I can't believe you weren't thrilled with this shot, Andy. :rules::rules::rules: It's a stunner.


I love the composition the colours, the tranquility, the light - everything.
It fits the theme perfectly and the back story reminds me of when our sons were kids and sailing every week-end, and there's that moment of stillness when all the boats have been parked up, the wind's dropped and a calmness spreads over the water - bliss.

Jean

 

[daddy day care]

I think it's a lovely image and definitely fits the theme Nice silhouettes and reflection of the sun in the water.

I can't believe you weren't thrilled with this shot, Andy. :rules::rules::rules: It's a stunner.


I love the composition the colours, the tranquility, the light - everything.
It fits the theme perfectly and the back story reminds me of when our sons were kids and sailing every week-end, and there's that moment of stillness when all the boats have been parked up, the wind's dropped and a calmness spreads over the water - bliss.

Jean

Thank-you ladies.

Andy

 

[jgs001]

It works for me Andy, a lovely peaceful image. No piece for the wicked eh... 2 kids and I don't get much ... so 4...

 

[foggy4ever]

Would have loved for you to stay and take a few more shots to show the effect as the sun lowers then disappears.

 

[mich66]

the owl shot for stare is very impressive.. perfect focus and nicely cropped.. they are stunning birds

I love your peace shot.. what a lovely place, the tones are great, compostion and silhouettes all add to the peaceful scene

 

[daddy day care]

Thanks again folks.

Yet another still life for this week.



This week I have learnt:

1. It is really hard to iron a plastic background

2. I cannot create a decent vignette in photoshop (so I gave up )

3. Chocolate will show up the slightest mark in a close up photo

Andy

 

[Peter-T]

I like it Andy! Simple but effective. Well lit and very sharp, perfect!

 

[ladysue]

Mmm tasty! Definitely fits the theme. When I think "indulgence" chocolate comes to mind. So clear I could almost eat them off the screen.

 

[clud17]

I know exactly what you mean with the chocolate marking, i used chocolate too and had similar problems. What version of photoshop do you have that you are struggling with vignette's?

 

[daddy day care]

Thanks folks.

Chris - I am using CS3. Tried following idiots guides from the net but just looked a mess. I wanted to hide a bright bit of the red material in the foreground. The flash had lit it far too much. In the end I went with a slightly different shot and cropped it.

Andy

 

[justlooking]

mmm yummy. Nice clear sharp image.

 

[dade_f]

nice shot - not sure the red and brown combo works so well
If you use lightroom there is a vignette option in there that works perfectly

why not REALLY indulge and bite into one of the chocs

 

[Digitall]

I need chocolate now that I have seen this photo
Apart from that it is a nice simple shot that works well for me.

Allan

 

[Sonial]

Very nice image....I'm sorry but I'm not buying into the 'chocolate marks so easily ' thing......it was just an excuse to eat all the 'marked' ones wasn't it??

 

[jeangenie]

I see you hid the white chololate one in the middle!

It fits the theme perfectly - what can be more indulgent (except cake ) - and I sympathise with the difficulties of having to eat the imperfect ones - I had the same trouble with a load of chocolate biscuits last year.

Nicely composed, Andy, although I think the red is a little harsh for the chocs, but it doesn't distract me from the subject.

Jean

 

[daddy day care]

Thanks folks.

I chose the red background as it seemed more indulgent. I was thinking black but thought it was too close to brown.

Surprisingly I didn't eat the marked ones I'm not really a big fan of chocolates but it did get SWMBO more interested in my photography just for this week

Andy

 

[Harlequin565]

Nice shot, and the chocolate looks tasty...

The red background is a little over the top for me I'm afraid. To my eyes it looks too close to the brown. However I'm struggling with colour at the moment, and could be completely wrong.

Ian.

 

[dan_yorkshire]

Thanks folks.

Chris - I am using CS3. Tried following idiots guides from the net but just looked a mess. I wanted to hide a bright bit of the red material in the foreground. The flash had lit it far too much. In the end I went with a slightly different shot and cropped it.

Andy

I too use cs3, I am sure you've tried this Andy but just in case you haven't I use.

Filter > Distort > Lens Correction and then add the vignetting in there, either as a dark or light edge using the sliders.

Nice detail in the chocs but the amount of red is distracting, a vignette would probably enhance the shot

 

[SarahLee]

The best way that I've found to add vignettes in PS is :

- Open a new layer on the top of your image.
- Fill the layer with white.
- Go to Filters>Distortion>Lens Correction (I think. This is just off the top of my head)
- Fiddle with the sliders to adjust darkness and midpoint until you get something you're vaguely happy with. Don't worry you can adjust this in the next couple of steps.
- Change the layer blend mode to "multiply"
- Adjust the opacity of the layer until you get an amount of vignetting that you're happy with.

Not sure if this is the way that the guides showed you to use (and this is based on CS4, so I don't know if CS3 works in exactly the same way)
Doing it in a separate layer gives you a lot more control over the final effect than adding a vignette directly to your image - and once you've practiced it a couple of times it only takes seconds.

Anyway onto the shot.
Lovely and sharp with good detail in the chocolates - you're getting really good at these still life shots

I like the red background. Definitely has a luxurious feel to it and goes well with the theme.
It's a little bit too bright for me though. I'd quite like to see it taken down a couple of notches.

 

[clud17]

Thanks folks.

Chris - I am using CS3. Tried following idiots guides from the net but just looked a mess. I wanted to hide a bright bit of the red material in the foreground. The flash had lit it far too much. In the end I went with a slightly different shot and cropped it.

Andy

Were you using
Filter > Distort > Lens correction
and then play with the sliders to adjust the vignette?
I use CS4 so don't know if its the same but im sure it must be similar

 

[dan_yorkshire]

Were you using
Filter > Distort > Lens correction
and then play with the sliders to adjust the vignette?
I use CS4 so don't know if its the same but im sure it must be similar

Its the same as CS3 Chris yeah.