Playing with Tones
Digital Capture in color (shot with 10D), Noise reduction in Dfine (ISO 400), loaded into Silver Efex, preset underexpose 1 stop, raise overall exposure slightly, add yellow filter, choose Delta 100 film type, add control point on front wall to lighten and bring out the dappled sunlight, a second control point to bring up the urn thingy in the front, lastly burn the left edge of the frame.
One slight issue with Silver Efex is that I can’t figure out how to save out each step so I can show them to you one by one as Kevin suggested. Efex doesn’t work in layers, and doesn’t save out the steps (as far as I can see). So, you load in a TIF as exported from Lightroom, mess withe the image until you like it, save it back out as a TIF, and there you are.
I could do a step, save it out, load another original, do the original change and then a second, save that out, etc. But that’s a little clumsy, especially, as I want to, show you paths tried and then rejected (for this image there was a great alternative where I used a green filter and it totally altered the feeling).
It would be very cool if I could figure out a way to save out step-by-step; if any Nik users out there know how, let me know, please.
This is an image Peg liked quite a bit from our excursion to Cleveland’s Lakeview Cemetery in September (remember when the grass was green?)
Chris,
Great photo. I love the effect, the light, shadows, etc. great shot.
Alan
Great image Chris. Wonderful detail and tones.
It would be interesting to see all the steps though. What about using a video screen capturing tool. It wouldn’t be the same but might work to show the steps you take.
Outstanding image Chris. Really stunning!!!!
I loved my 10D and 20D. I don’t think they were amongst cameras Canon ever made.
Meant I think they WERE amongst the best cameras Canon made. Sorry.
I was also going to suggest screen captures, or (apparently) Quicktime in Snow Leopard will record the screen and you can narrate.
Cemeteries are amazing subjects. The light here is perfectly haunting.
I too like the image, and I love hanging around in cemeteries with a camera – the older the cemetery, the better! One comment on the image though: if the main subject is the pillars and the shadows playing across those pillars, then why all the dark negative space on the right? Just my impression…..
As to the 10D and 20D, I’ll agree that the 20D was (is) a fine piece of gear. In my opinion and experience, however, the 10D was not so “fine”. The one I had couldn’t focus worth a damn and would periodically “lock up” on me. The only way to get it working again was to remove and then reinsert the battery. For me, not one of Canon’s finer creations.
Screen capture, doh! I didn’t think of that. Narrate? oh my goodness multi-media! Is that a new version of Quicktime? Who knew? That’s a great idea, actually.
Paul, that’s a great question. I don’t think I settled on the subject of the image. I wanted tension between the pillars and the shadow, and then also to pull you towards the urn. I debated the subject when I started working on it, but I know I didn’t settle on one. Hence, for me, the prominent negative space added to the tension and separated the image into two distinct compositions. It might not work, I admit. For me, also, the 10D was a reliable workhorse. I’m going to convert mine to capture IR sometime this summer.
Cinematic feel to this Chris that appeals to me very much. Sort of a John Alton noir feel and it leaves me waiting for something to happen. Well done.
Very nice, Chris. I can see why she liked it.
I can certainly see why she liked it, Chris. As Ray said, it does have a cinematic feel to it. Also, there’s nice details in the shadows to keep one peering deeper and deeper.
There’s much more to this image then it first appears. As Paul L. said there lots of details in the shadows that at first might not be readily apparent. I also like the soft glow of the highlights. Nicely done, Chris!
Ray, that you would use John Alton and me in the same sentence is quite an honor. Thanks.
Paul, that last bit I was really working on when I started to manipulate the image. I appreciate you noticing.
Thank you, Earl.
Wow! Great work, there, Chris. These deep shadow and soft highlights really gets me going, I lsimply ove this stuff. But, you know that already, I’m a sucker for “dark-moodyed” shots.
Ove, thank you. I really appreciate your thoughts
Now, looking a second time, I think much of what I feel when seeing this image is that you composed it the way you did, with the left-facing columns positioned as they are, implying that there is a front-side but more interestingly in my opinion, a back-side.