[matthew]

I enjoy being out in the rain - I just don't enjoy being cold and wet.

[EnglishBob]

Nice series, I like the last one most.

[Schellamo]

I love the first one best! Great job!

[byrt_001]

Hi Mathew

uuhmmm, very nice colours and gooosh so clear, but composition uuhmm

Here is what I think:

pix 1: no much goes on? if the person that is the may subject-left bottom part could have been more in profile and maybe reading more the paper. also the white bar at the top right side is a bit distracting.

pix 2: I really like this but why did you crop his shoe?? also be very careful with colour of people clothes and the background.

pix 3: I really do not...there is too much, the background is way too busy. and the colours of the other umbrellas with your main subject is a bit distracting.

Regards

Christian

[Schellamo]

I thought the umbrella's themselves were the subject in the first photo, which is why I liked it.

[byrt_001]

Hi Schellamo

but if you look careful the main point of interest is the guy on the left or also the sign centre.


Regards

Christian

[EnglishBob]

but if you look careful the main point of interest is the guy on the left or also the sign centre.


Regards

Christian

Beg to differ, for me the point of interest ARE the umbrellas. The sign and whatever that guy is reading are distractions, not the point of interest.

[Irma]

I think the same as Schell and Bob here... As for me the umbrellas are the subject of the picture...

In the second one I love the colors

#3 the reflection of the kid in the floor is great!! but I have to say that I needed time to find it I was looking all the time to the umbrellas until I found the reflection....

[matthew]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. #1 and #3 were 'grab' shots, very quickly composed because the scene only lasted for a split-second. The second one I waited for; liked the colours of the wall and the door and waited for a subject.

#1 I took because of the collision of umbrellas -- the gentleman at the back (picture front) was maneuvering to pass a couple in front of him, and I liked the play of shapes and colours that it created. it's great to hear the different ideas on what the subject is. I agree on the distracting white pole, and that the word 'centre' is distractingly prominent. I'm going to try this as a square crop (removing the right side) and see how it works.

#2 really needed a different person with better colours. It was raining, I was cold, I admit it. The shoe is cropped because the man was walking in the wrong place. I had the shot framed to keep the doors square, and waited for him to walk into it, instead of panning. If I had panned, he'd be framed better, but at the expense of the perspective and alignment. I'm not good enough to do both.

#3 was a quick shot of a cute kid, it was afterwards that I saw how the colours of his umbrella matched the store in the background. I may redo this as a selectively desaturated image to really bring this out and simplify the competition.

Did I mention how much I enjoy photography in the rain?

[EnglishBob]

After re-looking at the 3rd shots the red/yellow pattern occurs in 3 select areas.

#1, the obvious 3 umbrellas.

#2 The fire hydrants and the man in the red shirt.

#3, The not so obvious stop lights in the distance!

Selective color may work very well on this image.

[matthew]

After re-looking at the 3rd shots the red/yellow pattern occurs in 3 select areas....

Wow - I hadn't spotted that. I was going to desaturate everything except the umbrellas, to get rid of the other reds and yellows. I hadn't noticed the combinations. Good eye, and thanks.



It's nice to be talking about photos instead of cameras.
It's even nice to know that mine's still better than the person holding it.

[EnglishBob]

I like the new crop, the distraction of the sign is gone and the umbrellas play off of each other nicely.

[Irma]

Yes, I also like the new crop ... I love the colors in this picture...

BTW, did you protect your camera when you were taking pictures in the rain? I am always very affraid to take it out when raining ...

[byrt_001]

Hi

yes I also like the new version adds more to the picture.

Regards

Christian

[matthew]

Thanks again, everyone -- the square format helps both composition and subject for the image, and I wouldn't have seen that otherwise.

Irma, I don't do anything to protect my camera. It's rated as splash-proof, meaning that it can be held under running water, but not submerged. Having an all-weather camera was my primary requirement when I went shopping for a dSLR (as discussed excessively elsewhere) specifically so that I would be able to take photos in rain and snow. My wife's a runner, and she's out in all conditions, so I wanted to be as tough as she is. (I'm still not.)

I have heard that dSLRs aren't as sensitive to bad weather as people think that they are, but haven't wanted to risk it myself.

[EnglishBob]

Love the selective color.

I've had my rebel out in a couple of real heavy snowstorms. I keep it covered when not shooting and the snow hasn't harmed it.

[Irma]

I like this last one... I think I have never tried to make a selective color technique on one of my pictures...

I will read my manual... I really don't know if I can take my camera out or not... I know there are sort of raincoats for cameras... maybe I will need one for mine...

[byrt_001]

Hi

Could I sujest something on the last pix, you mention on desaturating? I think it could even look better if you desaturated the backgroung and leave the center umbrela with the child in colour. uuhmm... and just a hint of blur at the back....

Regards

Christian

[matthew]

Irma, I suspect your manual will tell you to keep the camera completely dry. I have read one (only one) story of someone shooting through a sudden rainstorm with his D70. There's also a decent section on weather resistance from a Canon photographer at: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/review...ield.shtml -- search for the word 'rainstorm', it's about 1/5 of the way down a rather lengthy article.

... but It would take a lot to convince me to take an unsealed camera out into the rain.

and selective colour is easy, it's one of my favourite techniques. I've been doing more complete B&W recently, but it's a great advantage of digital.

Christian, here's two takes on your suggestion. The first is fully desturated and slightly blurred, the second is the (2nd) original with full colour returned to the child.

[Toad]

The second blend of color and b&W is a keeper. Nice!

[byrt_001]

Hi

yes much better....the b/w.

I wonder what eveytone else thinks? uuhmm

Regards

Christian

[EnglishBob]

I prefer the first one with red and yellow only.

[Toad]

Tastes vary. That is why we have more than one style - and why Henry Ford was wrong (only black cars).

[Irma]

I like the first one as well

Thanks Matt for your comment and the link, very interesting...