SiO 2018 - Outtakes/Behind the Scenes

Location
Switzerland
Name
Matt
In order not to post too much commentary in the image threads, I'll start this thread to add some outtakes and thoughts; I invite everyone to do the same - it's at least as interesting to see what didn't make the cut and why ...

Here's my outtake for day 2 - the bottomline: It's not enough to *own* the ND filters, you should also *carry* them - duh ... Still, framing's pretty much as I wanted it, and I kind of like the painterly effect over-exposure creates on Instax colour film ...

IMAG0059.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


btw. At f/22, the lens is still pretty sharp - no sign of diffraction :p

M.
 
I was hoping to see a thread like this show up for the October challenge. Thanks, Matt.
This image was taken by rotating about 90 degrees left from the point of view I used for the plants and barn image I posted on "Day One". Not all aging barns are located on the "back forty" in Vermont. ;-)
I haven't given up on the sign yet. This frame just didn't seem dynamic enough for posting.
. . . David
Burke Sign.jpg
 
Before this challenge, I rarely took out the camera with me. The camera on my phone (Pixel 2 XL), was all I've been using, and these first two days have made me realise why. The phone camera offers such ease of use and is always available and much more discreet ... plus the software enhancements produce some very desirable photos.
I wonder how long it would have taken me to get this shot with my chosen combo for the month? With the manual focus and all?
MVIMG_20181002_152412.jpg
 
Before this challenge, I rarely took out the camera with me. The camera on my phone (Pixel 2 XL), was all I've been using, and these first two days have made me realise why. The phone camera offers such ease of use and is always available and much more discreet ... plus the software enhancements produce some very desirable photos.
I wonder how long it would have taken me to get this shot with my chosen combo for the month? With the manual focus and all?
View attachment 187511
It might actually not even have been possible - because of close focus limits. However, all this software DoF simulation stuff does make for strange effects (I see a really artificial glow around the pins of the plug ... and sharpness drops away suddenly, something that's not possible in our physical reality). But I admit it's impressive and wouldn't have been possible a few years ago. And I guess it can create quite a pleasing look - more or less effortlessly. But frankly, the effort that goes into making an image makes the result more rewarding (if things work out, of course - or, in my case, if I gain new insights as to how I might make it happen next time).

M.
 
Princes Street Gardens - West and East
5E1C4EDE-7D82-4633-A32C-03C7849F9BFD.jpeg
4DEF519D-A290-4186-9096-BA2C368ECA67.jpeg


I much prefer this challenge when I have a theme in mind - it helps keep me focussed - but with the month or so ahead promising to be manic being unfocused is having a strange calming effect on me before all the excitement begins. That said I fear the net result will be a lot of leaves!
 
Gosh, this is annoying ... I had quite a bit of trouble scanning yesterday's results with the IRIScan Book 5 Wifi portable scanner - results were much(!) too contrasty and colours were seriously off. I tried different software tools, darktable, Polarr, XnView ... I was never really happy with what I could do. Well, it turns out that I should just have used my Pixel and Google PhotoScan.

1538630136590_01_klein.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


Yes, it's clearly less sharp, I get that, but colours are mostly accurate and it took just a little bit of adjustment in darktable to get it right; sharpening of any kind makes things worse, though. I guess it's just a toss-up - either maximum sharpness or good balance. This goes for high-contrast shots only, though; if there's more colour saturation, the portable scanner is better. If only i could get at the raw data from that thing ... I'll have to look into that, but unfortunately this'll have to wait until I come back from the journey - which is exactly what I wanted to avoid. I'll have to improvise from now on - using whatever works "best", but never getting optimal results. Oh, well.

M.
 
My wife and I went for a walk in mid-afternoon. I thought I might find an image on the bike trail that runs in front of our home. It looked like a potential composition but when I reviewed the image in Lightroom it proved to be, well, boring. No center of interest. Just an empty trail with very little "leaf turning" as of yet.View attachment 187642
Still - beautiful ...

Here's another of those high-contrast shots that are only available using Google PhotoScan and need post processing in darktable (cut off artificial border, contrast -12, brightness -32, saturation -32). I would have like to use this shot for today's main post, but it's just not doing the original enough justice (the scan's way softer).

1538668974716_klein.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


M.
 
I stopped by the Menil Collection gallery store this afternoon to pass time while waiting to pickup my daughter. There I meet Naneen (cool name) running the shop. She was kind enough to pose for a photo. However the image lost out for today SIO due to the space age Holodeck
PA040030.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Last edited:
Back
Top