[Torqueguru]

Hi Riju,

This is gonna be a long one

When you take a photo on film, u need to develop it to see the picture, this developing needs just as much skill as u need for clicking the shots. A good click badly developed spoils the shot totally.
In the digital era, the in-camera capture is not on film, but on storage disk space. So u develop whatever comes out of your camera in a digital dark room. RAW is digital equivalent of 35mm film(though i dont have it in my cam). As new art forms develop, as new tools are made, there is a fairly small but very loud group of artists that crib at the idea of this new development, others adapt it to their use, and others embrace it.

By the way, your thinking made me think of how i used to perceive digital photography as well It's a pretty common thought process. But after interacting with many pro photographers, and my professors as well as many students majoring photography in my university, i got opportunities to attend a number of Digital photography Workshops and Expos here and understanding that taking pictures is just half the process, made me change my perception.

All I can say is that in the eyes of a photographer who is an artist, and I know quite a few , the finished product is what makes a photographer. This doesn't involve altering compositions though,So it is good practice if an image is composed to actually draw attention to that fact. Rather than be like some of those Professional Photographers that stage their real war shots, or other such public deceptions. Also as long as we are honest about when an image has been pushed from "artistically developed" to "fantasy" I think the use of digital post-processing tools is the way to go, especially for art photographers. Working with a good composition in the dark room, digital or film is liking polishing a diamond, you can only work on a diamond to make it shine n glitter, but if u take a stone n try to make a diamond out of it...it will not be of any use.

It deeply offended me when you said its time i post originals. That was a direct attack on my credentials. Your perception of original, according to my understanding and also the understanding of many pros is quite different. Digital pp is not a one button click. Also, i love your critique, you are of the few honest critiques out there and that's wonderful. Not once did I misinterpret your statements, i mentioned the "nitpicking" thing purely as a joke.

Hope you take it in absolutely the right spirit.

Regards,
Mukul.

[rjstyles69]

Mukul 1st and foremost, sorry if you felt offended and yeah thanks for your long post. I was simply trying to say original in terms of the image being straight out of the camera.

Example , look at Steers image here.

When you take a photo on film, u need to develop it to see the picture, this developing needs just as much skill as u need for clicking the shots. A good click badly developed spoils the shot totally.

There aint much PP to be done if the shot isn't composed really well. So lets leave alone post processing, what would you post process if you din't have a proper shot ?

I still believe that composition really matters.

All I can say is that in the eyes of a photographer who is an artist, and I know quite a few , the finished product is what makes a photographer.

Couldn't agree better here, but then I aint an accomplished one as such.The passion to shoot keeps me looking for more well composed shots.

I have never questioned your compositions or your credentials and if you think so, apologies never really meant to.Peace out and get yourself a shot of rum (I know its cold there) !!

[Rocky_Balboa]

Mukul and Riju,

Fantastic camaraderie.
Now show us the pics guys. I am on a learning spree and You guys dont wanna loose a pupil in me

[guyonblackybx]

Another HDR but this time its a Prancing Horse.

Shot at Deccan Quartermile Drag Jan 2009

Camera: Canon 400D
Lens: 18-55 mm kit lens.

used photomatix to create HDR out of 3 shots.

[gd1418]

Continue experimenting....Since it is a DSLR, you can always erase and take another one unlike in a film camera...

Originally Posted by kpzen

My first attempt with a DSLR.
Attachment 96327

Attachment 96328

[Torqueguru]

@Riju
I get you buddy, just that i had to share my philosophy too. And i really respect your thoughts. So here goes a toast!
Straight from the lens, no Post processing
This ones for you and eddy

Dodge Avenger, clicked on the way to Yosemite


ExposureTime : 1/2000Sec
FNumber : F3.2
ExposureProgram : Aperture Priority
ISOSpeedRatings : 100
ExifVersion : 0221
DateTimeOriginal : 2008:03:03 13:22:41
DateTimeDigitized : 2008:03:03 13:22:41
CompressedBitsPerPixel : 4/1 (bit/pixel)
ExposureBiasValue : EV-2.0
MaxApertureValue : F2.7
MeteringMode : Division
LightSource : Daylight fluorescent
Flash : Not fired(Compulsory)
FocalLength : 12.60(mm)
FlashPixVersion : 0100
ColorSpace : sRGB
ExifInteroperabilityOffset : 740
FileSource : DSC
SceneType : A directly photographed image
CustomRendered : Normal process
ExposureMode : Manual
WhiteBalance : Manual
SceneCaptureType : Standard
Contrast : Normal
Saturation : Normal
Sharpness : Normal

Regards,
TG.

[Torqueguru]

@guyonblackybx
Nice one there!

[Stratos]

@ Torqueguru: Nice shot. I will wait for a nice processing over it from you.

Tried to make an HDR out of a single file. Somehow I am not happy with the result.

[Torqueguru]

@Stratos
May be u can brighten the clouds a biit and it might leave u a little more satisfied

Yeah yeah here is the post processed shot

Regards,
TG.

[guyonblackybx]

Originally Posted by Torqueguru

@guyonblackybx
Nice one there!

Thanks

Originally Posted by Stratos

@ Torqueguru: Nice shot. I will wait for a nice processing over it from you.

Tried to make an HDR out of a single file. Somehow I am not happy with the result.
Attachment 98505

Looks like you havn't played around with all options of Photomatix.

Try out the following options in "Detail enhanser"

Try different "Light Smoothing" options and Luminosity.

change the "Highlights Smoothning" under the tab S/H

tune the "Micro-Contrast" and "Micro-Smoothing" under Micro tab

Originally Posted by Torqueguru

@Stratos
Yeah yeah here is the post processed shot
Attachment 98533
Regards,
TG.

Hey I tried working on your Dodge Avenger.

Here it is.

[Torqueguru]

@Guyonblackybx I havent actually tried to go for the dramatic look here, went for a very subtle HDR. Thanks for the input though I feel the greens are a little too yellow toned and the road less detailed in your version, thats not exactly what i was looking for.

Here is one of the more dramatic ones


And a less dramatic one, actually clicked in really fading light....



Thanks,
TG.

[Torqueguru]

Oh and one more thing, i used only photoshop cs4 for the DodgeAvenger pic, no photomatix there as it was just a single image. So its a Pseudo.
Regards,
TG.

[guyonblackybx]

[quote=guyonblackybx;1163137]Thanks



Looks like you havn't played around with all options of Photomatix.

Try out the following options in "Detail enhanser"

Try different "Light Smoothing" options and Luminosity.

change the "Highlights Smoothning" under the tab S/H

tune the "Micro-Contrast" and "Micro-Smoothing" under Micro tab



@TG, my above comment was for Stratos. Wanted to let him know more about Photomatix. I have just started off with PS so no way I can try to compare my skill with gurus like you

Thanks for the feedback on Dodge Avenger editing.

[Torqueguru]

@Guyonblackybx

Oops! My bad!

[Stratos]

1987 BMW 635CSi on Stevens Creek