Ok, I should rephrase my statement. I was not intending to say it's shocking that your entry is getting the votes, it's a great photo. It's the way the votes are counting up. We went from having a close race with a semi-even disbursement of votes, then all the sudden, votes for your image took off. I appologize if my statement implied I was shocked that your photo is getting votes at all.
Mark, No harm done. Earlier today I got a communication from a fellow and I used 'his' argument in my posting to you. This fellow, admittedly likes my work, and this time mentioned that I got his vote because it had more 'key' incredients. No worries. I just have to find out how COverton does his lighting. Mine is all natural, I have one of those skylights in my trainroom and seldom use a light fixture I like his better. Hopefully he'll share some 'light' on the subject. Cheers, Jim CCRR
Yeah COverton does some great lighting. I noticed this round that a few of us have a similar style between our own images. COverton, to me, has this early spring feel in a lot of his photos, as if they were taken just after the last snow melted, which fits his PRR themes. Yours on the other hand, have this mid-summer feel, which fits perfectly with the desert terrain. And r_i_straw has that early dawn/dusk feel down perfectly. Mine just always have this ugly yellow wash all the time. But I have neither sunlight nor studio lights, just a standard living room celing light.
Mark, Somewhere on your camera you may have a knob that allows you to correct this color. If you have SCN you should be able to change the color by manipulating the round arrow button on the back of your camera. Try it looking through the lcd view. You may be amazed. If you don't have a camera with SCN on it then go to the manual and correct your 'white balance'. This may work. I never use flash. Always existing light. If you haven't purchased a new camera in the last four years, we need to talk! Cheers, Jim CCRR/Socalz44
Whew, comms using a keypad is a bear, and I do it for a living!!!! :tb-hissyfit: I am so happy you fellas sorted that out. I had a similar thing happen to me on the university course I am running at the moment. Like here, the comms are asynchronous posts to a discussion forum. I had to do some back-paddling when a learner basically apologized for imparting her own opinion on a question of ethics, and had to apologize for leaving her with the impression, by my syntax and word choices, that I was not in favour of her reply. I hope I put that fire out! As for my lighting, and I appreciate your positive comments about it, I have a good sized basement window at one end of the layout. About 25' away from the glass is a weathered, sun-bleached cedar plank fence. Between the blue sky above the top of the fence and the sunlight reflected, any images I take during the daytime are distinctly blue and a bear to fiddle with.....so I don't. I take images strictly at night. All my lighting is by track lighting of the halogen GU-10 type, 50 watts. I ensure my camera's colour balance, (Canon Powershot A710is), is set for halogens, and the rest depends on what's between my ears. Even so, the one shot I publish here is one of perhaps 60, and at least 10 trips between layout and the computer. It's exhausting, I tell you!! And I can't get enough of it. :tb-biggrin:
My camera is a Canon Power Shot SD770IS, bought one year ago this month. It never crossed my mind to use the indoor setting, I always shoot on auto. I'll definitely be using indoor from now on though. I just took a quick test shot to compare the difference and using the indoor setting, I don't get so much better color, but black or dark objects have much better quality and are not so noisy. As for the yellow wash, I'm having a "duh" moment right now. I run all my pictures through a levels adjustment in Photoshop, which gives better color tones, but still does not negate the yellow overlay. It never crossed my mind to throw in a blue photo filter. I'm an art student, I should know better, right? Here's the result of a 2 second blue filter compared to the original. ..it's the simple things that make a difference.
Mark, Your camera does have SCN. Experiment with it. I use 'foliage' and very seldom use color correction in my photo program. I mainly use the program for trimming/cropping. Anyway, put your camera on 'foliage'. If that doesn't work try other settings. Your layout is very green and this is not a good indoor photography color. Try to not use anything except natural lighting. Use a tripod and the built in timer to expose the photo. Even with IS I very seldom press the button to take a photo of my layouts. These are the keys to better photos. Remember, practice makes perfect and costs nothing but a few minutes. Learn your camera' functions. Lastly, if you can't get better photos try this. In a photo program go to the RGB tabs. On your greenish photo add about +5 Red and -5 Blue. Ultimately some Green may have to be minused but I'm not so sure. Experiment with this RGB function. Cheers, Jim CCRR
Where did the poll go? Isn't there a way to run two polls concurrently on the Home Page. Cheers, Jim CCRR/Socalz44
If you are referring to the "Current Poll"on the Main Page, the last poll started is the one that shows up. :tb-nerd: :tb-nerd: :tb-nerd: :tb-nerd:
There could be other issues as play. For example, in your settings, what is the strength, or level, of the saturation and the resolution of your camera? Also, have you ever done a proper white balance under the typical lighting for the setting?
Hey, I got 4 Votes; the most I've gotten so far in these contests. THANKS!!!!!!! :tb-cool: :tb-cool: :tb-cool: :tb-cool:
Congratulations to Socalz44 for the win. Everyone had a great photo! Still 12 hours left to make a submission to the Prototype challenge!
