Opinions Wanted

On 2014-05-25 20:21:55 +0000, PeterN said:

On 5/24/2014 7:09 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 11:35:48 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 5/23/2014 10:24 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:


smip


Now it's
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ok28ebd3p...s0Am5pTwRtDQva


In your BW conversion you seem to have lost the texture in the sky. I
lit a subtle sky with texture, the green foreground a darker green, and
the bare branches gone. I don't think you need them.
Please post another link to the NEF and I should have a chance to play
later today.

Link coming up:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3/_DSC1370.NEF

Here is my version, using a 2 x 3 aspect ratio:


I saved a layered tif. To help you to follow what I did, the layers are
labeled.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.tif

I had some DB issues, so I also saved a jpeg. I assigned the ICC
profile Adobe RGB to maintain tonal integrity.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.jpg

You still have some DB issues, neither of those was delivered. *ERROR 404*

As far as "tonal integrity" for online delivery and general viewing
goes, sRGB is all that is needed for the 8-bit JPEG since PP is
complete and the wider ProPhoto RGB & Adobe RGB gamuts are now
superfluous for most displays.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2014-05-25 19:48:39 +0000, PeterN said:

On 5/25/2014 12:58 PM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-05-25 00:42:52 +0000, Eric Stevens said:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 16:58:39 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:
On 2014-05-24 23:17:30 +0000, Eric Stevens
said:
Le Snip

I don't think Dropbox photos helps the images. Here is a JPG of my
quick and dirty B&W.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...26W%20copy.jpg


Sorry that doesn't work for me. It is neither here, nor there as a B&W
conversion. Your opacity adjusted layer technique isn't right for that
image. The way it is presented it has a bad selective color feel to it,
and the contrast for the hills looks too harsh.
This is where I prefer my softer approach with the sight selenium tone.
https://db.tt/TT7e6kYX

Yours works better in a smaller print viewed more closely. I think
mine works better in a larger print likely to be viewed from across a
room. Mind you, I'm not going to print a large and small of each to
find out whether I'm right or not. :-)

My views have nothing to do with the fact that I can't find a quick
and dirty way in PS to emulate your image. I have several ideas which
will make it a piece of cake if they work. I would particularly like
to try a gradient 50% grey fill. Right now I'm going to have lunch.

Considering everything overall, this has been a very helpful
discussion.

I am not really a fan of “quick & dirty� B&W conversions, straight
greyscale mode changes, etc. I feel that I can get so much more out of
the original by using a color sensitivity adjustment, or filter approach
in ACR, LR5, or with a dedicated plugin such as NIK Silver Efex Pro 2.
That way I can take a relatively bland shot and get an acceptable B&W
rendition.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_718.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...951_Edit-3.jpg

BTW: One might be tempted to comment on the level of the horizon, but
from that position out on the Carrizo Plain, which is bisected by the
San Andreas Fault Zone, there is a very defined rise from West to East.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_719.jpg


I like it.

Thanks.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 5/25/2014 4:21 PM, PeterN wrote:
On 5/24/2014 7:09 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 11:35:48 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 5/23/2014 10:24 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:


smip


Now it's
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ok28ebd3p...s0Am5pTwRtDQva


In your BW conversion you seem to have lost the texture in the sky. I
lit a subtle sky with texture, the green foreground a darker green, and
the bare branches gone. I don't think you need them.
Please post another link to the NEF and I should have a chance to play
later today.

Link coming up:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3/_DSC1370.NEF

Here is my version, using a 2 x 3 aspect ratio:


I saved a layered tif. To help you to follow what I did, the layers are
labeled.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.tif

I had some DB issues, so I also saved a jpeg. I assigned the ICC profile
Adobe RGB to maintain tonal integrity.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.jpg


Sorry for the 404 for some reason the images did not sync. Can't figure
out why.
They are both in the public folder.

--
PeterN

On 2014-05-25 20:57:08 +0000, PeterN said:

On 5/25/2014 4:21 PM, PeterN wrote:
On 5/24/2014 7:09 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 11:35:48 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 5/23/2014 10:24 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:


smip


Now it's
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ok28ebd3p...s0Am5pTwRtDQva


In your BW conversion you seem to have lost the texture in the sky. I
lit a subtle sky with texture, the green foreground a darker green, and
the bare branches gone. I don't think you need them.
Please post another link to the NEF and I should have a chance to play
later today.

Link coming up:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3/_DSC1370.NEF

Here is my version, using a 2 x 3 aspect ratio:

I saved a layered tif. To help you to follow what I did, the layers are
labeled.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.tif

I had some DB issues, so I also saved a jpeg. I assigned the ICC profile
Adobe RGB to maintain tonal integrity.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.jpg


Sorry for the 404 for some reason the images did not sync. Can't figure
out why.
They are both in the public folder.

Hmmmm…, that is odd.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 5/25/2014 4:40 PM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-05-25 20:21:55 +0000, PeterN said:

On 5/24/2014 7:09 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 11:35:48 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 5/23/2014 10:24 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:


smip


Now it's
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ok28ebd3p...s0Am5pTwRtDQva


In your BW conversion you seem to have lost the texture in the sky. I
lit a subtle sky with texture, the green foreground a darker green, and
the bare branches gone. I don't think you need them.
Please post another link to the NEF and I should have a chance to play
later today.

Link coming up:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3/_DSC1370.NEF

Here is my version, using a 2 x 3 aspect ratio:


I saved a layered tif. To help you to follow what I did, the layers
are labeled.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.tif

I had some DB issues, so I also saved a jpeg. I assigned the ICC
profile Adobe RGB to maintain tonal integrity.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.jpg

You still have some DB issues, neither of those was delivered. *ERROR 404*

I know. i saved to the public folder of DB on my desktop, and posted
from that machine. Neither image has appeared on my laptop, or iPhone.
I can't figure out what went wrong.


As far as "tonal integrity" for online delivery and general viewing
goes, sRGB is all that is needed for the 8-bit JPEG since PP is complete
and the wider ProPhoto RGB & Adobe RGB gamuts are now superfluous for
most displays.

On my Viewsonic monitor I noticed a difference between the RGB and sRGB
versions in Jpeg.


--
PeterN

On 2014-05-25 20:43:24 +0000, Savageduck said:

On 2014-05-25 19:48:39 +0000, PeterN said:

On 5/25/2014 12:58 PM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-05-25 00:42:52 +0000, Eric Stevens said:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 16:58:39 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:
On 2014-05-24 23:17:30 +0000, Eric Stevens
said:
Le Snip

I don't think Dropbox photos helps the images. Here is a JPG of my
quick and dirty B&W.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...26W%20copy.jpg


Sorry that doesn't work for me. It is neither here, nor there as a B&W
conversion. Your opacity adjusted layer technique isn't right for that
image. The way it is presented it has a bad selective color feel to it,
and the contrast for the hills looks too harsh.
This is where I prefer my softer approach with the sight selenium tone.
https://db.tt/TT7e6kYX

Yours works better in a smaller print viewed more closely. I think
mine works better in a larger print likely to be viewed from across a
room. Mind you, I'm not going to print a large and small of each to
find out whether I'm right or not. :-)

My views have nothing to do with the fact that I can't find a quick
and dirty way in PS to emulate your image. I have several ideas which
will make it a piece of cake if they work. I would particularly like
to try a gradient 50% grey fill. Right now I'm going to have lunch.

Considering everything overall, this has been a very helpful
discussion.

I am not really a fan of “quick & dirty� B&W conversions, straight
greyscale mode changes, etc. I feel that I can get so much more out of
the original by using a color sensitivity adjustment, or filter approach
in ACR, LR5, or with a dedicated plugin such as NIK Silver Efex Pro 2.
That way I can take a relatively bland shot and get an acceptable B&W
rendition.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_718.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...951_Edit-3.jpg

BTW: One might be tempted to comment on the level of the horizon, but
from that position out on the Carrizo Plain, which is bisected by the
San Andreas Fault Zone, there is a very defined rise from West to East.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_719.jpg


I like it.

Thanks.

I have a particular fondness for B&W rendering these days, where the
interpretation can add to character and the viewer’s impression of the
image. In the case of the Carrizo Plain shots, there is a wind blown
desolate feel to the place which seems to be better expressed in B&W
than color.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/10ne14df8...arrizo%20B%26W

or
http://tinyurl.com/l9xkqwm

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 5/25/14 PDT, 9:58 AM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-05-25 00:42:52 +0000, Eric Stevens said:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 16:58:39 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:
On 2014-05-24 23:17:30 +0000, Eric Stevens
said:
Le Snip

I don't think Dropbox photos helps the images. Here is a JPG of my
quick and dirty B&W.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...26W%20copy.jpg


Sorry that doesn't work for me. It is neither here, nor there as a B&W
conversion. Your opacity adjusted layer technique isn't right for that
image. The way it is presented it has a bad selective color feel to it,
and the contrast for the hills looks too harsh.
This is where I prefer my softer approach with the sight selenium tone.
https://db.tt/TT7e6kYX

Yours works better in a smaller print viewed more closely. I think
mine works better in a larger print likely to be viewed from across a
room. Mind you, I'm not going to print a large and small of each to
find out whether I'm right or not. :-)

My views have nothing to do with the fact that I can't find a quick
and dirty way in PS to emulate your image. I have several ideas which
will make it a piece of cake if they work. I would particularly like
to try a gradient 50% grey fill. Right now I'm going to have lunch.

Considering everything overall, this has been a very helpful
discussion.

I am not really a fan of “quick & dirty� B&W conversions, straight
greyscale mode changes, etc. I feel that I can get so much more out of
the original by using a color sensitivity adjustment, or filter approach
in ACR, LR5, or with a dedicated plugin such as NIK Silver Efex Pro 2.
That way I can take a relatively bland shot and get an acceptable B&W
rendition.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_718.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...951_Edit-3.jpg

BTW: One might be tempted to comment on the level of the horizon, but
from that position out on the Carrizo Plain, which is bisected by the
San Andreas Fault Zone, there is very defined rise from West to East.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_719.jpg


Can't resist: As the human eye, in situ, doesn't naturally see such a
tiny tilt, I'd remove it from the print.

On 2014-05-25 22:00:47 +0000, John McWilliams said:

On 5/25/14 PDT, 9:58 AM, Savageduck wrote:
Le Snip

I am not really a fan of “quick & dirty� B&W conversions, straight
greyscale mode changes, etc. I feel that I can get so much more out of
the original by using a color sensitivity adjustment, or filter approach
in ACR, LR5, or with a dedicated plugin such as NIK Silver Efex Pro 2.
That way I can take a relatively bland shot and get an acceptable B&W
rendition.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_718.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...951_Edit-3.jpg

BTW: One might be tempted to comment on the level of the horizon, but
from that position out on the Carrizo Plain, which is bisected by the
San Andreas Fault Zone, there is very defined rise from West to East.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_719.jpg


Can't resist: As the human eye, in situ, doesn't naturally see such a
tiny tilt, I'd remove it from the print.

"Remove it from the print." Brilliant!

I should have thought of that. I just hope I removed the "it" you were
thinking of.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...951_Edit-4.jpg

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Sun, 25 May 2014 16:21:55 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 5/24/2014 7:09 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 11:35:48 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 5/23/2014 10:24 PM, Eric Stevens wrote:


smip


Now it's
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ok28ebd3p...s0Am5pTwRtDQva


In your BW conversion you seem to have lost the texture in the sky. I
lit a subtle sky with texture, the green foreground a darker green, and
the bare branches gone. I don't think you need them.
Please post another link to the NEF and I should have a chance to play
later today.

Link coming up:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...3/_DSC1370.NEF

Here is my version, using a 2 x 3 aspect ratio:


I saved a layered tif. To help you to follow what I did, the layers are
labeled.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.tif

I had some DB issues, so I also saved a jpeg. I assigned the ICC profile
Adobe RGB to maintain tonal integrity.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.jpg

I like your treatment of the hills. You have also done a very good job
of preserving the texture and tonal subtleties of the sky. I can now
see the spots which Savageduck complained of. :-(

I also like the little puffs of smoke and flying fragments where you
blew up the flax stalks protruding from the greenery. :-)

Apart from that, I think the greenery in the foreground is rather too
dark, but that's just my preference.
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

On 5/25/2014 5:28 PM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-05-25 20:43:24 +0000, Savageduck
said:

On 2014-05-25 19:48:39 +0000, PeterN said:

On 5/25/2014 12:58 PM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-05-25 00:42:52 +0000, Eric Stevens
said:
On Sat, 24 May 2014 16:58:39 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:
On 2014-05-24 23:17:30 +0000, Eric Stevens
said:
Le Snip

I don't think Dropbox photos helps the images. Here is a JPG of my
quick and dirty B&W.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...26W%20copy.jpg



Sorry that doesn't work for me. It is neither here, nor there as a
B&W
conversion. Your opacity adjusted layer technique isn't right for
that
image. The way it is presented it has a bad selective color feel
to it,
and the contrast for the hills looks too harsh.
This is where I prefer my softer approach with the sight selenium
tone.
https://db.tt/TT7e6kYX

Yours works better in a smaller print viewed more closely. I think
mine works better in a larger print likely to be viewed from across a
room. Mind you, I'm not going to print a large and small of each to
find out whether I'm right or not. :-)

My views have nothing to do with the fact that I can't find a quick
and dirty way in PS to emulate your image. I have several ideas which
will make it a piece of cake if they work. I would particularly like
to try a gradient 50% grey fill. Right now I'm going to have lunch.

Considering everything overall, this has been a very helpful
discussion.

I am not really a fan of “quick & dirty” B&W conversions, straight
greyscale mode changes, etc. I feel that I can get so much more out of
the original by using a color sensitivity adjustment, or filter
approach
in ACR, LR5, or with a dedicated plugin such as NIK Silver Efex Pro 2.
That way I can take a relatively bland shot and get an acceptable B&W
rendition.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_718.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...951_Edit-3.jpg

BTW: One might be tempted to comment on the level of the horizon, but
from that position out on the Carrizo Plain, which is bisected by the
San Andreas Fault Zone, there is a very defined rise from West to East.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/Fil...enshot_719.jpg


I like it.

Thanks.

I have a particular fondness for B&W rendering these days, where the
interpretation can add to character and the viewer’s impression of the
image. In the case of the Carrizo Plain shots, there is a wind blown
desolate feel to the place which seems to be better expressed in B&W
than color.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/10ne14df8...arrizo%20B%26W


or
http://tinyurl.com/l9xkqwm



It was a slow sync. I don't know why.

These should work:

jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.jpg

The layered tif

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97242118/Eric%20file.tif
--
PeterN