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Red Skiff, Blue Skiff, Geese Foraging in the Morning Mist...
Red Skiff, Blue Skiff, Geese Foraging in the Morning Mist...
Bear_Music


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: HDR III (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: Challenges
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM
Location: Harwich Port, MA
Date: Jun 4, 2010
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/60
Date Uploaded: Jun 5, 2010

This is a "reverse HDR" image: a flat scene has been expanded using Photomatix Pro and Topaz Detail & Simplify. Uncropped, shot in RAW, processed from single original, gradients added top and bottom, touch of PS Diffuse Glow" to bring up luminance in the water.

ETA: latest version cropped slightly bottom and left.

************

Image was mostly over 7 all week. Got hit with a 1 at 9 PM, dropped below 7, climbed back to 7.0182, lost 4 votes in the scrub, averaging 8.5 :-( Even allowing for those being scrubbed, take away the two 1's and I finish with a 7.06...

Still, better than I expected for an opposite-of-HDR shot :-)

Zone System Rocks!

Here's the unedited, resized original from RAW:


Statistics
Place: 4 out of 161
Avg (all users): 6.9942
Avg (commenters): 8.0667
Avg (participants): 6.8205
Avg (non-participants): 7.1368
Views since voting: 4554
Views during voting: 441
Votes: 173
Comments: 53
Favorites: 27 (view)


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AuthorThread
06/24/2013 04:03:58 PM
I keep looking at this image and at the original one and of course that the processed one has a lot of pictorial qualities.
Nevertheless, the original is more mysterious, more photographic in nature; with the mist and less contrast it transmits an abundance of feelings; the longing is almost unbearable and so is the imminence of some danger (thus the "hero" in the foreground). For this reasons also it might get lost in the shuffle of looking at crisp and colorful images.
My point is that sometimes we push our technology in favor of a quick appreciation and perhaps we shall try on occasion to hold the processing back to a less spectacular first impression and in favor of a subtler and slower evaluation. (i.d. try to make the image with more greys, more mistier etc)

Am wondering if all this rambling is not caused by comparing these two pictures side by side.
Edited for sp

Message edited by author 2013-06-25 00:37:36.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/14/2011 12:58:02 PM
Just noticed this image, Robert. Quite spectacular! Those colors are heavenly!! And the combination of HDR+Simplify very inspired! Making note of this to self..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/16/2010 02:23:36 PM
C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s ! ! ! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/15/2010 08:29:35 PM
thought this might be yours Robert..
beautiful image! congrats on Top 5!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/15/2010 03:16:18 PM
you made a beautiful (almost) painting out of a dull original which most of us would not bother to keep. Good job Robert, and a well deserved HM!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/15/2010 04:03:40 AM
This really has everything going for it. It's interesting to look at and is very well done. Congrats on the HM, Robert.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 08:51:21 PM
This is fantastic!!!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 08:03:42 PM
WOW, this is beautiful!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 06:54:10 PM
Beautiful Robert! The trees really stand out and give a soft feel to the scene.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 06:22:31 PM
Beautiful! congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 05:30:44 PM
A gorgeous image Robert. A favorite from the challenge. Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 03:12:42 PM
My goodness, what 2 doodleheads gave this a 1. If people are going to be that silly - we should be able to know who they are - maybe it will make these idiots think twice if everyone could see them on the site. Frankly I thought this deserved a ribbon. Sure the top three were nice but I've seen far too many of the same thing a hundred times on this site.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 02:43:58 PM
LOVE it! Was looking for this image post challenge to show to a friend, but couldn't find it.

Great work Bear! Guess you truly deserve that Greek island now;-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:34:10 PM
This is SO GOOD! Man! We need more ribbons this week!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 10:49:28 AM
Nice work, great colors, Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 10:33:34 AM
I sooo thought this was yours Robert....how beautiful, nice finish
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 10:21:23 AM
Man!! look at the difference from the original. SUPERB editing , Congrats on the HM!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 08:34:43 AM
I pickred this as a ribbon winner for sure. One of my 10's and added as a favorite. Great job Robert.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 07:31:04 AM
So painterly. Absolutely GORGEOUS. Congrats on top 5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 06:29:24 AM
That is amazing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 05:29:37 AM
Love this pic, I'm going to add it to my faves.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 02:17:30 AM
oh so close, bear. Great image! At first glance, I thought the name of the red boat was "NERD". Anyway, congrats on 4th!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 02:11:40 AM
This is lovely. Has a great painterly feel to it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 01:44:10 AM
This is really a stunning shot - your eye just keeps moving through it - and it's beautifully processed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 01:01:48 AM
This photo is beautiful and I'm surprised it didn't get the blue. Awesome job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:55:53 AM
WOW!!! A very unique HDR and 9 faves. Congrats Rob
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:38:03 AM
Very peaceful image Robert. Congrats on HM!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:29:27 AM
Beautiful pastel feel to this. Wonderful shot Rob.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:19:44 AM
Well done Bear... I wouldn't have guessed!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:12:26 AM
Looks almost like a painting. Congrats on the HM!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:09:53 AM
Gorgeous shot, congratulations on 4th!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:09:24 AM
Well, congrats on the green. Too bad we couldn't both have been on the front page together. Let's go bum rush william88!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:07:12 AM
Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Thought this could be yours.

I think any entry with the word "Skiff" in the title is a dead giveaway. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:05:17 AM
Thought this could be yours. Strong showing in a tough challenge. Congrats on another piece of profile bling!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/14/2010 12:04:31 AM
Go Bear ! I finished voting tonight. I voted on this 5 mins before the end. I gave you a 7.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
06/13/2010 10:49:29 PM
Stunning 10 all the way and a fav..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2010 10:39:04 PM
I would crop about half of the tree on the left side. Cropping is tough, we never want to eliminate some nice details but everything needs to serve the composition as a whole.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2010 10:13:13 PM
Nice image! There seems to be a bit of banding in the sky, and I'm not so keen on the super-smooth, but low-detail look.. For me HDR is all about high-detail! :) Still, a solid 7.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/13/2010 06:34:21 AM
The aerial perspective and DOF is wonderful and I like the rhythm in your title and photograph along with its implied leading line. I find my eye skips along from red skiff to blue then to geese but this compositional element itself is not enough to prevent the image from losing some of its poetry for me. The mood is ambivalent. Colors go from bold to muted, grass too yellow a green, yet sky too drab a purple. The sky appears flat lacking any detail. It looks as though you've used a GND (maybe too strong a one). My guess is you over processed the overall image to make up for the flat available light.

Also, whatever is sticking up out of the red skiff is distracting. One other nitpick is the positioning of the blue skiff. I know you have no control over this matter, but I wish it were facing towards the tree so that we could see more of its port side to serve a better foil to the red boat. Finally, the pink lifesaver is the straw for the camel and really does this image in, though I think a lot of the voters will like it and vote it highly.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/12/2010 09:38:36 AM
The processing makes this look like a cartoon backdropped with a real image. A little less processing I think would make it look more natural.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/09/2010 11:19:20 PM
Superb. Truly excellent.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/09/2010 05:30:31 PM
nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/09/2010 11:15:27 AM
lovely morning image, nicely done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/08/2010 11:40:06 PM
Serene. Good use of HDR
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/08/2010 10:09:25 PM
The depth in this capture is amazing. A great capture and well processed. On second look I just bumped your score up 1.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 10:25:27 PM
Lovely. The Hero on the boat is a nice addition.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 07:53:23 PM
Nice mood portrayed in this shot. Wish the lead boat was crisper in sharpness (leaving the rest of the image as is) , Nice creation , 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 05:05:12 PM
very nice; I like the dreamy effect this has
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 04:17:51 PM
Love it
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 10:19:00 AM
I love the painting like feeling of this.. Really beautiful.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 08:13:38 AM
Oh wow, the mist (and possibly lite wind) gives this a dreamy, painted feeling. Very cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 02:01:33 AM
This feels like a painting, great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
06/07/2010 12:40:16 AM
I like. Strong colors, but not over the top, and very clean looking.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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