ok I think you will get what i was trying to achieve.....I have posted here for a reason..........so let me have it!!!!!!! :o

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#2

I've got left way behind!!! There are some really, really excellent images round here............

Oh look! There's two above!


Blimey, I need to put the guitar down! :o

Russt Wrote:ok I think you will get what i was trying to achieve.....I have posted here for a reason..........so let me have it!!!!!!! :o

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These are both super imho and I like them both in equal measure. I can't be sure exactly what you were trying to achieve but what you did achieve, for me, was a very nice 'advert' for fly fishing and a desire to get out the tackle and go off down to the river or maybe the lake.

I've spent a lot of time looking at the images, also been trying out various ideas in PS and here are a few ideas you might like to think about or play with.

As I said, I like both images in equal measure so how about combining the mono with colour by selective toning to keep the fly and reel in colour. Maybe leave the background in mono or perhaps just a reduced saturation of the blue to make the fly and reel pop out more.

Maybe also sharpen up the fly, to make it equally sharp to the reel - and blur the background slightly more so that the print, bottom of the magazine, is slightly less sharp then the reel resting on it.

The general idea I had in mind was to emphasize the tackle emerging from the background so that the 'dream' of a day's fishing becomes a reality, as a result of reading the magazine and being inspired to go fishing.

Having said all that - there's really no need to change anything. I just enjoyed looking, pondering happy days fishing, as a child, with my father and tweaking and experimenting with your images ..... thanks

Polly

Russ your pictures are great! I like them a lot Nicely done!

Thanks Rufus and Irma for your comments.

Polly, Thanks for your suggestions I really appreciate what your saying. It does look more like an advert than what I wanted..........it was more about my other passion........(fly fishing) but hey its good you thought back to your days fishing with Dad.

It was also about learning for me trying to get the shot right not blow the highlights etc..

cheers

I agree with Pol's idea of B&W with colour. The first image is all too blue and hurts the eyes-so-to-speak. I might have used a fly that doesn't look so much like a lure either. This one is huge. Something with a colour in it that would be suitable with the blue in the image. The table is blue also. Black might have looked more pleasing. Just a few suggestions but I really like what you are creating here. Great idea and good work.

I just spent a few minutes on your image out of curiosity to see how changing some colour may look. Hope you don't mind.

The colour in the fly is alittle flat and bold but like I said, a different type might have been more suitable. As for a black back ground, it didn't seem right but I think this suits it much better.

Peto, I dont mind at all. I like the texture you got on the table in the foreground. I kown what you mean about toooo blue, thats because I shot it using tungsten white balance. AWB comes up to yellowish (is that a word) indoors and tungsten was more natural.....errr :/ I tweaked the red and green in levels. maybe not enough! I might have a go at Pol's suggestion of the colour and BW. that will be a new one for me! duuno if i am ready..........

cheers

Fascinating............... How we see different things.

I liked the blue-ness, and thought it was a deliberate tint to imply water!!

Rufus that strikes a cord as my wife said it looks like the magazine is sitting on water! I wish that was the intent........

ps I did try to add a ripple to the background but it didn't work for me

Russt Wrote:Peto, I dont mind at all. I like the texture you got on the table in the foreground. I kown what you mean about toooo blue, thats because I shot it using tungsten white balance. AWB comes up to yellowish (is that a word) indoors and tungsten was more natural.....errr :/ I tweaked the red and green in levels. maybe not enough! I might have a go at Pol's suggestion of the colour and BW. that will be a new one for me! duuno if i am ready..........

cheers

Here's the one I did when I was experimenting. I didn't upload it previously because I'm never sure if anyone might be offended by my tweaking their image and uploading my changes.

What I did was to use layers - by cutting the various sections (fly, reel, background) and dealing with each layer separately.

It's a bit rough - I wasn't too meticulous about the cutouts around the fly and the reel, but it shows the general idea of what I had in mind.

I agree the background needs some sort of blue overtones, rather than pure B/W ,so that the overall effect of water is retained.

... and so what if it looks like and advert? To my mind, it's a very successful 'advertising style image' for promoting the hobby and enthusiasm for fly fishing.

Tight lines, mate

Polly

Quote:It's a bit rough - I wasn't too meticulous about the cutouts around the fly and the reel, but it shows the general idea of what I had in mind.

It would be a nightmare getting round that fly for me!

Polly, thanks heaps for taking the time to do that.........offened?? NO WAY I want to learn and your suggestions as with everyones is wanted. I like it well done! now I just have to learn to do it myself!

Cheers Russ

Russt Wrote:

Quote:It's a bit rough - I wasn't too meticulous about the cutouts around the fly and the reel, but it shows the general idea of what I had in mind.

It would be a nightmare getting round that fly for me!

Polly, thanks heaps for taking the time to do that.........offened?? NO WAY I want to learn and your suggestions as with everyones is wanted. I like it well done! now I just have to learn to do it myself!

Cheers Russ

You're talking to the right person Russ. Polly is great with photoshop.

Petographer Wrote:

Russt Wrote:

Quote:It's a bit rough - I wasn't too meticulous about the cutouts around the fly and the reel, but it shows the general idea of what I had in mind.

It would be a nightmare getting round that fly for me!

Polly, thanks heaps for taking the time to do that.........offened?? NO WAY I want to learn and your suggestions as with everyones is wanted. I like it well done! now I just have to learn to do it myself!

Cheers Russ

You're talking to the right person Russ. Polly is great with photoshop.

Eeeeee yer makin' this old 'pommie' tart blush.

Russ -- everyone has their own favourite method for doing cut-outs in PS. My own fave method is to use the polygonal lasso tool and work with the image at 200% so it's easier to see the pixels I want to cut around.

It's better to leave a bit extra rather than cut too close.

After you've cut and pasted - hide the other layers and just tidy up with the eraser tool. It's easier to work with the full image as it's more forgiving, then when you downsize slight imperfections aren't so visible.

Pol

wow Russ.. Certainly a pro-quality advert for fly fishing!

I like the very original version the best. I think the relatively simple colour scheme you use is great and in particular makes the reel stunning.

As far as criticisms go? Well, there's not much I can think of.
I think the "Fly Life" text is perfectly balanced by being out of focus yet still readable. But perhaps the text below the reel is a little distracting because it is sharply in focus, so I'm somewhat drawn towards it and try to make sense of it... but that's a minor thing.

hmmm.. thinking of this kind of commercial-oriented shot.. that would be a good topic for an assignment! Shoot a commercial for a product of your choice!

Great original shot, Russ and nice work done so far, everyone!

I like the monochrome version and Pol's splash of colour version adds a nice touch. In the monochrome version I'd probably highlight or darken the Fly Life title on the magazine to make it stand out more.

Wish the lure was a bit more sharp too, but apart from that, top stuff!



p.s. Great idea Kombi... I'll post the assignment up now!