«

Crop lines, that is...

http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html

Thanks,
Dudley

In article <w4AMj.23120$KP5.20125@edtnps89>, Dudley Hanks
says...
> Crop lines, that is...
>
> http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html
>
I'd take it in pretty close - lose most of the top half and nearly a
quarter off each end. In visual terms that's about a tail's width to
the left of her paws, right of her tail and above her ears. In numbers
on the 574 x 431 original that's 141,194 to 452,431
Nice doggy.

"Rob Morley" <> wrote in message
news: t...
> In article <w4AMj.23120$KP5.20125@edtnps89>, Dudley Hanks
> says...
>> Crop lines, that is...
>>
>> http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html
>>
> I'd take it in pretty close - lose most of the top half and nearly a
> quarter off each end. In visual terms that's about a tail's width to
> the left of her paws, right of her tail and above her ears. In numbers
> on the 574 x 431 original that's 141,194 to 452,431
> Nice doggy.

Thanks, Rob. I'll crop it like you suggested and post it as well. I'm
hoping to get a few other suggestions and then ask for a vote on the various
croppings.

As for the pic itself, is there anything else that needs attention? Too
busy? Bad pose? Other?

Take Care,
Dudley

In article <WFAMj.23693$KP5.4814@edtnps89>, Dudley Hanks
says...

> As for the pic itself, is there anything else that needs attention? Too
> busy? Bad pose? Other?
>
Great pose. A couple of bits of conifer around her ears are catching
the light and are a bit distracting, but could easily be darkened.

Dudley Hanks <> wrote:
>Crop lines, that is...
>
>http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html

If you move the doggy away from the tree by a several feet then you
can use a wide aperture to throw the tree out of focus and make it
clear that the dog is the subject of the photo. I'd also get down
lower to get rid of the ground.

But YMMV.

--
Ray Fischer

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:21:00 GMT, "Dudley Hanks"
<> wrote:

>Crop lines, that is...
>
>http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html
>

Kinda depends on what you are trying to present. Are you presenting
an image of Dima, or presenting a composition with Dima in the image?

There's an interesting pyramid of the lighter fir (pun intended)
behind Dima, but - in my opinion - it leads the eye away from the dog.
It's like a big arrow directing the eye to go upwards.

If your intent is present an image of Dima, then I'd crop it
horizontally lose the trees. Put Dima's tags on a vertical line about
a third of the way from the left of image.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...er213/dima.jpg

Overall, your composition is too balanced for my taste. Static.


--

Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

tony cooper wrote:
> On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:21:00 GMT, "Dudley Hanks"
> <> wrote:
>
>> Crop lines, that is...
>>
>> http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html
>>
>
> Kinda depends on what you are trying to present. Are you presenting
> an image of Dima, or presenting a composition with Dima in the image?
>
> There's an interesting pyramid of the lighter fir (pun intended)
> behind Dima, but - in my opinion - it leads the eye away from the dog.
> It's like a big arrow directing the eye to go upwards.
>
> If your intent is present an image of Dima, then I'd crop it
> horizontally lose the trees. Put Dima's tags on a vertical line about
> a third of the way from the left of image.
> http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...er213/dima.jpg

Yep, I did something very similar. Still ample proportion of woods in
the background. I cropped to remove all the white sky but it could work
with some sky on one side. I also agree about cloning out the bright
spots in the background near her ear.

Fantastic shot of obviously a great friend.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Dudley Hanks wrote:
| Crop lines, that is...
|
| http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html
|
| Thanks,
| Dudley
|
|

Shepard dogs are a compelling image alone, with no distractions. I think
a very tight crop of the dog's face, ears and possibly chest with all
(any) background left in a a focus zone so blurred that nothing is
distinguishable.

Portrait orientation and it would portray (as portraits are supposed to
do) the object of attention and not the distraction of a background that
can be recognized. If you use a flash pointed vertically with a
"Specular highlight" card on it, you will also add some life to the
dog's eyes, not normally available under daylight conditions.

Some of my portraits may help reinforce my suggestions:
http://www.douglasjames.com.au/portfolio/Portraits/

Take note of the copyright covering my images if you intend to take any
of them without asking first ...and simply don't!

- --

from Douglas,
If my PGP key is missing, the
post is a forgery. Ignore it.
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"Alienjones" <> wrote in message
news:ftushp$tg$...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Dudley Hanks wrote:
> | Crop lines, that is...
> |
> | http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html
> |
> | Thanks,
> | Dudley
> |
> |
>
> Shepard dogs are a compelling image alone, with no distractions. I think
> a very tight crop of the dog's face, ears and possibly chest with all
> (any) background left in a a focus zone so blurred that nothing is
> distinguishable.
>
> Portrait orientation and it would portray (as portraits are supposed to
> do) the object of attention and not the distraction of a background that
> can be recognized. If you use a flash pointed vertically with a
> "Specular highlight" card on it, you will also add some life to the
> dog's eyes, not normally available under daylight conditions.
>
> Some of my portraits may help reinforce my suggestions:
> http://www.douglasjames.com.au/portfolio/Portraits/
>
> Take note of the copyright covering my images if you intend to take any
> of them without asking first ...and simply don't!
>
> - --
>
> from Douglas,
> If my PGP key is missing, the
> post is a forgery. Ignore it.
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (MingW32)
>
> iD8DBQFIAvYUhuxzk5D6V14RAu67AJ9StHnMWXZCvRrzMujwj0 s6uPcpcACfRBNe
> jZWAbBcPrU/YDhW1qWZsuMA=
> =D9Wv
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----


OK so I'm going out on a limb here and offering the "Master" some critique,
and in all honesty not to be vindictive but just some observations and maybe
Doug can tell us the reasoning behind these particular shots, I'm always
willing to learn

1638: why is the hair blown messily across the face, wouldn't it be better
to be blowing behind the head?
grouptree: only one person is actually looking at the camera in this shot,
the rest look like they want to be somewhere else.
lady1: shiny nose, shiny chin, shiny forehead.
sports: neither subject is in focus.
4546: shiny nose, shiny forehead, shiny cheek and hairstyle like she just
got out of bed.

don't get me wrong Doug some of them are quite nice portraits but I though a
portrait was supposed to flatter the subject, not highlight the flaws.

I await the inevitable tirade

--
"Calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color."
Don Hirschberg

"Alienjones" <> wrote in message
news:ftushp$tg$...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Dudley Hanks wrote:
> | Crop lines, that is...
> |
> | http://www.geocities.com/hanks.dudley/Dima.html
> |
> | Thanks,
> | Dudley
> |
> |
>
> Shepard dogs are a compelling image alone, with no distractions. I think
> a very tight crop of the dog's face, ears and possibly chest with all
> (any) background left in a a focus zone so blurred that nothing is
> distinguishable.

But, Dima isn't a typical shepherd; she is a guide dog, and she is dying of
cancer. She has devoted her life to guiding me through a crazy world that
cares little about the safety or convenience of blind persons, and she has
done it gracefully, eagerly, and vivaciously. To capture her as a closely
cropped shepehrd where her teeth would probably be the most noticeable
characteristic, would convey the wrong image.

Her doamain was the world, and she occupied a unique position halfway
between the animal kingdom and the realm of human affairs. I want her
picture to be a tribute, not just a portrait.

>
> Portrait orientation and it would portray (as portraits are supposed to
> do) the object of attention and not the distraction of a background that
> can be recognized. If you use a flash pointed vertically with a
> "Specular highlight" card on it, you will also add some life to the
> dog's eyes, not normally available under daylight conditions.
>

I used two flashes for this shot, perhaps the image reduction obviates the
twinkle in her eye, but I'm sure it will be visible in the final print, if I
decide to mount this one on my wall.

> Some of my portraits may help reinforce my suggestions:
> http://www.douglasjames.com.au/portfolio/Portraits/

Unfortunately, I have enough trouble viewing my own images where I know what
I've shot; viewing someone elses work, where I have no idea of what is in
the frame, is all but impossible for me. But, thanks, anyway.

>
> Take note of the copyright covering my images if you intend to take any
> of them without asking first ...and simply don't!

Now, Douglas, is that really called for? Isn't the copyright notice on your
site sufficient protection on its own?

Besides, I don't at present derive any photographically generated income,
and, if I did, only images I have shot myself would be worth anything,
either to me or my customers. Moreover, given that I have only about 2%
vision, wouldn't it be a bit obvious I've stolen someone else's work if I
were to present a technically perfect photograph as part of my collection?

Take Care,
Dudley