A Man and His Work

[John 2]

As a competition nut, from time to time I've had a bit to say about a current trend in the UK, towards composite images. I've nothing against them, in fact some of them are excellent, but judges seem to prefer them over straight forward photography. So I post these two images with tongue in cheek.

On holiday last week in the Lakes, we had a cottage along the boundary of which runs a narrow gauge railway - the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. Developed by enthusiast from an old mining railway, it now serves residents and tourists alike and is a natural for photogs like me. Having shot one of the engines entering the local halt, I ended up talking to the driver and (of course) asked if he would mind my taking his photograph. He agreed and struck up quite a good pose. The result was the first image. I quite liked it but the background was awful and I was always going to have a problem with that sky. So, you've guessed it, I resorted to the second composite image.

Worth it?? Grateful for C&C please - good and bad.

[Shadowman]

Nice effort, only critique is he should be able to hear the train. So why is he sitting there so calm and smiling?

[dabhand]

John - composites are not normally my cup of tea either - in yours, it looks like you have contradicting directions of light between the two source images which create a visual conflict.

steve

[John 2]

Thanks John but you can just see at the bottom of his jacket, the edge of the platform he is standing on.

[John 2]

John - composites are not normally my cup of tea either - in yours, it looks like you have contradicting directions of light between the two source images which create a visual conflict.

steve

Steve? Light on his shoulder to the right, shadow of the engine to the left? It was an overcast day so not much direction to the light.

[Kodiak]

Worth it?? Grateful for C&C please - good and bad.

Yes, well worth it! Great montage… though I see that…
• the focus and sharpening renditions are too far apart between the two scenes
and gives away immediately the montage
• the colour temperature is different as well.
• the original rendition of the model is closer to the selected background
• a rest at the bottom left of the model should be removed.

I like the frame of the final image and the cool model!

[John 2]

Thanks Kodiak. I didn't try to hide the montage - that would be dishonest. The focus and saturation on the BG was deliberate. It occurred to me that one of the problems of using a BG not created specifically for the purpose is that it can contain detail that might distract from the main subject. Consequently, (right or wrong) I inserted a low opacity layer between the subject and the BG to achieve a subdued effect and applied a gradient blur. None of which necessarily produces a good image hence the request for C&C and hence your comments are totally valid.

[Kodiak]

Thanks Kodiak. I didn't try to hide the montage - that would be dishonest

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?
A montage, though it implies plenty of technical considerations, is an
artistic intent! Imagery is an art.

Why would anyone want to secure his/her own artistry?
What about your own arbitrary?
If you envision the end product of an image, a painting, a photograph,
and/or what not, it is your duty to yourself, as artist, to bring it the
best possible, credible, (or completely freaked out) outcome.

John, do me a favour NO, do yourself a favour and get back to work!
If Jupiter or Zeus would ever get echo of this… you're a cooked duck!

[John 2]

Kodiak, "....that would be dishonest" was a tongue in cheek comment.

[Kodiak]

•
…right then, I'll be waiting!

[bnnrcn]

Hi John. The man looks as if he is sitting in front of a poster in the composit version. Although what you did to the image looks a bit unnatural, the idea is interesting. Your first image looks nice too

[John 2]

Oh all right, I give in. How's this one:

[bnnrcn]

BG looks better in this version John IMO the grey borders are so thick that the man looks tightened in the frame.

[IzzieK]

Framing still needs a bit of work at the last edit...

[FootLoose]

Good idea, John. I think Kodiak has nailed the (slight) problem with the composite: the background and foreground appear to have been processed in two different ways. The guy seems to be 'grungier' than the background. He looks cleaner in both the first and final image. The 3rd makes a nice portrait, though.

I wonder if a conversion to B&W might make the composite look more uniform?

[John 2]

Thanks for the additional comments all.

Binnur, I must admit that I have a habit of adding a neutral frame around most of my images but only because they are best viewed against a neutral BG. Not a problem on this site provided everyone viewing is using the "Dark (fixed) skin because it provides the sort of BG I talking about. I think perhaps I should stop doing it.

Izzie are you talking about the same thing as Binnur or is your comment about the subjects positioning in the frame?

Greg, it was deliberate and I have to admit that it is the sort of treatment you often see being used in various competition images - probably with better results. I have a Mono version and I have just entered it into the Guernsey Salon. We shall see otherwise the bin awaits.

[IzzieK]

.......
Izzie are you talking about the same thing as Binnur or is your comment about the subjects positioning in the frame?

John...I am actually referring to the first image that I like very much...the last edit to me is a little bit too much cropping whereas in the first image, if you crop from the black structure to show the fence and crop a little bit at the bottom so wherever he is sitting down on doesn't show, and then on the right side to remove that little mound of white something at his back, I feel that he has a little breathing space left and the shot will be a little bit more like it...I hope you get what I mean..it is the aesthetic of it. Then just do a little bit of sharpening...not too much as the other composite ones. I think you will have a winner here...just a thought...