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Well if that title don't get me some serious google hits I dunno what will

A few shots I am keen for some thoughts on, good bad or ugly. The idea is not to perfectly portray these aircraft but more for a artistic view to eccentuate a particularly aspect, whether it be the age, engine or state of repair. Definitely interested in the composition but also the processing.

For those ineterested in these machines, in order of presentation, Northern American Harvard AT-6D, Dehavilland Chipmunk DHC-1? (mind blank tehre) this one is special since it has lots of ponies (big engine) and metal skins (as opposed to fabric), AT-6D again de-cowled and the trusty Beaver (Dehavilland DHC-2)

These are very interesting images. The wide angle effect works well to make these images 'pop' (esp the last two).

I really love the first one. It just leaps out, slaps me in the face demanding me to keep looking!! You've managed to use the hard lights and made the most out of what you've got (and then some!!!).

At least one of the first three needs to be in the Shiny DTC too btw

Hey Gerry - nice work

I like the composition of the first image but I reckon it needs to be more - I don't know how to describe it - gritty and glossy - perhaps even some HDR love or tonal contrast or something. I also wouldn't mind a little more detail and separation on the prop and in an ideal world there wouldn't have been those bright hotspot blobs across the body

The second shows a little more of that "gloss" I was looking for but I don't like the dark shadow from the wing on the floor and am undecided if I like seeing all the other distracting stuff in the frame or not (probably not) (e.g. those purple things on the right and all the stuff poking above the wing)

#3 is my favourite I think - I love seeing "inside" the plane and engine - the detail, texture and colour is great and this one almost looks slightly HDR'd (in a good way - and like what I wanted #1 to have) - I like having less distracting background (both from the composition just including mainly roof and because it's much darker - it could maybe even go darker still but still retain a little detail or perhaps more oof)

#4's not really doing anything for me

aim54x wrote:These are very interesting images. The wide angle effect works well to make these images 'pop' (esp the last two).

I'll take interesting

PiroStitch wrote:I really love the first one. It just leaps out, slaps me in the face demanding me to keep looking!! You've managed to use the hard lights and made the most out of what you've got (and then some!!!).

great, thats the kinda effect I am looking for, something where an incredably clutter background melts away under the main subject. Thanks for the feedback.

Remorhaz wrote:I like the composition of the first image but I reckon it needs to be more - I don't know how to describe it - gritty and glossy - perhaps even some HDR love or tonal contrast or something. I also wouldn't mind a little more detail and separation on the prop and in an ideal world there wouldn't have been those bright hotspot blobs across the body

I hear what you are saying regarding the prop, its a hard one since its a black prop and unless it is lit specifically its always gonna be a bit on the dark side. The only way to avoid teh bright spots is to light paint the scene (see image at the end) and I find whilst it is a technically nice style it looks strange purely from the fact that my brain expects to see some highlights/reflections for teh light source, i guess much like catchlights in a models eyes.

Remorhaz wrote:The second shows a little more of that "gloss" I was looking for but I don't like the dark shadow from the wing on the floor and am undecided if I like seeing all the other distracting stuff in the frame or not (probably not) (e.g. those purple things on the right and all the stuff poking above the wing)

imagine what it would look like if they cleaned it once in a while I could block out the distracting elements, but thats definitely clocking up near my 5 minute edit limit

Remorhaz wrote:#3 is my favourite I think - I love seeing "inside" the plane and engine - the detail, texture and colour is great and this one almost looks slightly HDR'd (in a good way - and like what I wanted #1 to have) - I like having less distracting background (both from the composition just including mainly roof and because it's much darker - it could maybe even go darker still but still retain a little detail or perhaps more oof)

good points about the BG, I guess my aim was to minimise the BG rework and concentrate on maximising the pop of the main part, in hindsight doing a bit from both ends would probably be better.

Remorhaz wrote:#4's not really doing anything for me

lol, beavers are not for everyone, especially this one, it looks pretty hard done by at this point (ex-seaplane doing popular harbour routes)

thanks for teh feedback.

The image i was referring to:

biggerry wrote:The image i was referring to

Oooh - love the engine again - and the fading to dark - but I think the plane is way too bright - you've got two main subjects here on the left and right and they are competing full on. I reckon you could do one really close to the engine but where you get it all in (ultra wide - maybe my 8mm) and the plane is just a smaller detail as part of the background (dark and more oof perhaps).

Love that bare beaver. Which one is it?

Remorhaz wrote:

biggerry wrote:The image i was referring to

Oooh - love the engine again - and the fading to dark - but I think the plane is way too bright - you've got two main subjects here on the left and right and they are competing full on. I reckon you could do one really close to the engine but where you get it all in (ultra wide - maybe my 8mm) and the plane is just a smaller detail as part of the background (dark and more oof perhaps).

yeah teh plane got cooked pretty hard by the torch in that one, I may revisit it and try and reduce the brightness in PP, whilst the 8mm may get closer, i find myself correcting distortion in the 11-16 a bit already since i don't like the stretched tails and wings and I can only imagine the 8mm would go seriously bendy Quite possibly darkening the plane in the BG may help it compete less with the engine on the stand.

surenj wrote:Love that bare beaver. Which one is it?

lol, google that...!

the beaver is on the one in the last image (first post) which previously was doing sight seeing runs over the bridge (SHB), this is a different one to previous beaver shots of mine, in particular the painted beaver ones.

biggerry wrote:lol, google that...!

Just kidding about the bare beaver.

I have broken my desktop but just looked at these on the laptop. Super stuff.

#2 and #3 are the strongest. My preference is to have the background and the context shown and the processing suits the industrial/ metal feel quite nicely.

I forget, do you just do the midtone contrast or are these HDR? Brilliant control of halos if they are HDR.

surenj wrote:#2 and #3 are the strongest. My preference is to have the background and the context shown and the processing suits the industrial/ metal feel quite nicely.

I forget, do you just do the midtone contrast or are these HDR? Brilliant control of halos if they are HDR.

these are processed in a number of steps and some are HDR files, shadow and midrange contrast is adjusted, however this typically is done locally to bring out the finer details on the fuselage etc.

The halo control is pretty easy once you nail the correct exposure brackets and choose the right processing method thru the HDR software.

I have this workflow (as much as one can thru CNX2) saved and I basically make minor adjustments to suite the particular frame.

Love the planes and love what you've done.
I have a very spot spot for the Harvard's

Thanks Gerry for the info on processing. I've really moved away from HDR but I think need to get into it again.

I reckon we should do a bit of combined processing of images one day after our excursions. Why don't we each choose the best picture from the next shoot and process it together. That way we will each have a bit of insight into what everyone does.

surenj wrote:Thanks Gerry for the info on processing. I've really moved away from HDR but I think need to get into it again.

I reckon we should do a bit of combined processing of images one day after our excursions. Why don't we each choose the best picture from the next shoot and process it together. That way we will each have a bit of insight into what everyone does.

and give up all my secrets ya gotta be kidding!

ok, lets do it next session, but i gotta have CNX2

maybe the old dunlop factory?

biggerry wrote:lets do it next session, but i gotta have CNX2

Maybe Rodney has it on his MBP? Otherwise, I can bring my laptop and might install an evaluation version or something.

I like the first and third image,