Topic: September Competition Discussion

[jasonb911]

Amazing that you went back to that image and no others, hmmm.  The one you brought up I was more surprised than anything.  The one that really floored me was looking at Caleb and the retouching done there.  I don't know him or have met him, but unless the child is wearing makeup and lip gloss...wow. 

I'm not stupid, Jason.  I knew what you thought and what you were getting at when you commented on one of my photos that 'that lens isn't usually that sharp'.  No Jason, it usually isn't because it's a stupid cheap kit lens, but it was sharp that time (yes, I do know how to use a tripod, remote release, mirror lock-up and a shutter speed of 1/1250).  When I've entered photos into these MVO competitions, I've followed the rules - basic post processing, which is allowed (usually crop, hue/sat, levels, sharpen, dodge/burn, etc.).  And I believe I've listed the post processing done on most.

Not that I need to justify myself to you, but here is the original and the submitted version of the one you questioned in particular - you know, the one where you only insinuated that I was a liar instead of coming right out and calling me one (and yes, I knew at the time that was what you were doing and chose not to make an issue of it).  BTW, the Exif data for the before/after is supplied below as well.  It is readily available attached to the image on Flickr, just in case you intend to accuse me of doctoring that info too. 

After looking at the images and the Exif data, why don't you tell me just what exactly is it that you think I've done, Jason?  Do they look very much different from each other?  No, I thought not.  Unless perhaps you consider adding a border something to cry 'foul' about...

I presume that you are done calling me a 'liar' now, and that we will get back to the topic at hand.



xxIMG_1652 after by JakOfArts, on Flickr



xxIMG_1652 before by JakOfArts, on Flickr

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[Jak]

Ok, Jason

Here's what I posted under the picture:

Dodge/Burn/Levels/Crop
Sharpen slightly
Smoothed skin tones & removed dark shadows under eyes

And here's the before/after (now STFU):
BTW - you may notice the lips were brighter in the before picture, just naturally that way...


Caleb IMG_5381 before by JakOfArts, on Flickr


Caleb IMG_5381 after by JakOfArts, on Flickr

Amazing that you went back to that image and no others, hmmm.  The one you brought up I was more surprised than anything.  The one that really floored me was looking at Caleb and the retouching done there.  I don't know him or have met him, but unless the child is wearing makeup and lip gloss...wow. 

I'm not stupid, Jason.  I knew what you thought and what you were getting at when you commented on one of my photos that 'that lens isn't usually that sharp'.  No Jason, it usually isn't because it's a stupid cheap kit lens, but it was sharp that time (yes, I do know how to use a tripod, remote release, mirror lock-up and a shutter speed of 1/1250).  When I've entered photos into these MVO competitions, I've followed the rules - basic post processing, which is allowed (usually crop, hue/sat, levels, sharpen, dodge/burn, etc.).  And I believe I've listed the post processing done on most.

Not that I need to justify myself to you, but here is the original and the submitted version of the one you questioned in particular - you know, the one where you only insinuated that I was a liar instead of coming right out and calling me one (and yes, I knew at the time that was what you were doing and chose not to make an issue of it).  BTW, the Exif data for the before/after is supplied below as well.  It is readily available attached to the image on Flickr, just in case you intend to accuse me of doctoring that info too. 

After looking at the images and the Exif data, why don't you tell me just what exactly is it that you think I've done, Jason?  Do they look very much different from each other?  No, I thought not.  Unless perhaps you consider adding a border something to cry 'foul' about...

I presume that you are done calling me a 'liar' now, and that we will get back to the topic at hand.



xxIMG_1652 after by JakOfArts, on Flickr



xxIMG_1652 before by JakOfArts, on Flickr

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[jasonb911]

Wow, and a STFU from a user, classy, VERY classy.

[Jak]

Wow, and a STFU from a user, classy, VERY classy.

And I suppose you think your attack on me was just loaded with class...?

I'm done.  I suggest someone split & lock it.

[jasonb911]

Actually that wasn't an attack at all.    Anyone that knows me, knows what I do with photography, and knows what I expect in contests or in competition for consideration on a project knows that this is nothing. 

Want to see critical, hop into the big boy competition and photography forums, because this is light criticism compared to POTN, Sportsshooter, and others. 

With that said, I have no problem with digital art competing against digital art, photography against photography and so forth.  Also, along those same lines, I love some of the edits that you have done and that you have posted on your website as well.

[Steve.Deserved.Better]

Well, believe it or not, I've learned a lot, quite a lot from these exchanges.  I think we've exhausted the technical part of this recent discussion. 

I think anyone who can take pictures as good as some of these posters, are bound to have artistic differences.   However, in the vain of keeping it about the competition and not about the personalities, I'm asking that direct questions be asked and answered.  Innuendos and accusations are not productive.  Please consider this.

I really like this thread.   Even though I haven't participated much, pictures are a joy to me, no matter who, what or how, I love looking at different concepts.

Thanks for providing them, you all are artists to me.

[sloppyjo]

Jak,

The pics you posted this morning of the building at the gardens, the farm market, and the horses all are amazing...and I actually think you might have just proved something to yourself without knowing.  All 3 were amazing and you didn't do anything to them.  I think we live in a world where everyone wants to be perfect and I think you might have spent a lot of time trying to make those photos amazing...where if you were to take a step back and realize they already were amazing...you weren't giving yourself enough credit.


Sometimes when ppl over correct and I've seen it a lot in years....they take away from what really is.  I picked up pictures once of our older 2 children and they had corrected them sooooo much.  They weren't even the color they are suppose to be.  Britt is a very very pale child and she was almost orange in the pics.  Sad thing was in one pic she would be orange and in another she would be her pale self.

You see things in a different way than most and you are lucky for that.  At first when this competition started Cateye names the water dept for the subject on accident....everyone went there and was like WTF...but not you...you actually came up with a very creative shot.  I think you might actually enjoy seeing the true beauty behind you art if you leave well enough alone.  On another note I think your digital photography is really cool and I'm jealous because I have PHOTO SHOP and can't figure the damn thing out to save my soul.  I just bought Photo Shop for Dummies.  So all my photos are what you see is what you get.  I think you digital art is amazing...but I also think your photos like the 3 you submitted today are amazing...untouched.

[Jak]

Thanks Sloppy.  But honestly, I wasn't proving anything to myself.

Here's a link to the cameras I pretty much learned on (the ones that were stolen - GAWD I miss them).  I had two of them - exactly like the top two.  They were beauties.  I wasn't stuck with these crappy Canon zooms either - I had beautiful Nikon primes that were tack sharp.  And even back then, I manipulated photos & negatives.  I just did it by hand.  I've always loved it.  When Photoshop came out (and I finally got a copy) I was in heaven...

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikkormat/elseries/index.htm

Here's a couple from probably 20+ years ago now - a technique I invented.  I hand painted the color on the emulsion side of a 35mm b/w negative.  I taped the neg, emulsion side up, to a lightbox and used a lighted magnifying lamp and a very small retouching brush to put the retouching colors on the negative.  I had a blank tail of film that I put a 'pallette' of colors on and printed so I could look at it and judge the colors since I was working with the negative/opposite colors.  The one of the carousel horse looks a little weird because it's actually b/w infrared film - I was experimenting.


img031 - Psycho Chevy by JakOfArts, on Flickr


img028 - Carousel 02 by JakOfArts, on Flickr

This is a copy of a polaroid transfer.  You take a 4x5 view camera with a polaroid back on it and shoot, then you take apart the polaroid and put it on a piece of wet art paper, roll it with a breyer, and it ends up looking pretty much like a painting.


img032 - Tattoos by JakOfArts, on Flickr

This one is an SX70 Polaroid manipulation (I have 2 SX70 cameras for all of the good they do me now that Polaroid isn't making instant film anymore).  The neat thing about SX70 was that (1) you could focus it and adjust the exposure, and (2) you could play with it before it set up.  On this one, I took a spoon, a crochet hook, and whatever other blunt object I could get my hands on and just mushed the print around while the insides were still soft. 


David SX70 HDR by JakOfArts, on Flickr

And here's the one I think I like the best.  The original is actually a color slide (chrome).  I printed it on b/w 11x14 paper in a darkroom so that I had an 11x14 negative, then I sandwiched the neg print with another piece of 11x14 b/w paper, put it under glass, laid it on the enlarger table, and burned the heck out of it until I had a positive print.  I like the grittiness of it...


Escapes by JakOfArts, on Flickr


I can shoot. I've had bunches of things published, had tons of gallery shows, and was even invited to lecture at a local college (on that first negative painting technique I showed you) when I lived in Oregon. I just like the art of manipulation.  A LOT.  Always have...

 

[Steve.Deserved.Better]

Jak, you never cease to amaze me.  Keep on experimenting, you excite the visual senses...

[ancients]

Jak and mvtguy

Those three photos set the bar very high. I like it.

[ancients]

CINDERELLA

Love it, great colors.

[CINDERELLA]

Thank you ancients. I love going to the zoo. My husband takes me there almost every year for my birthday gift. Here is the new baby elephant with its mother...

[ancients]

Old one

Those two would run deer, I do not know how they thought they would take it down. Sassy would have thought they were nuts.

[Jak]

Old one

Those two would run deer, I do not know how they thought they would take it down. Sassy would have thought they were nuts.

Oh, I just LOVE that pic Ancients.  My Sparky is a JRT so I have a soft spot for them.  I hope you don't mind, but I thought that picture needed to be a painting.  I did a little quick & dirty 'Photoshop-trickery' on it...

 


Ancients JRTs before and after by JakOfArts, on Flickr

[ancients]

Yes, looks great. Those JRT are sure smart, they trained me well.

You forced the viewers eyes to their heads.