Friday Photography Blog No.51 | 129 comments (129 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Photos as usual (none / 0)

"Photos As Usual"

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 02:40:18 AM EST

Pigs in Bath (4.00 / 7)

I wasn't sure if these should go in the animal section or not.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 02:42:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I can add some cows in Gruyère (4.00 / 7)

by Fran on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 02:00:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in Gruyère (none / 1)

lol! Is that where the Amsterdam airport cow has it's origins?

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 02:21:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in Gruyère (none / 1)

I have tried to googe the origins of these cows, but was not able to find out.

by Fran on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 02:23:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in Gruyère (none / 0)

I don't know where they come from but I remember that at some point either late in high school or early college they seemed to be all over downtown Geneva.

by MarekNYC on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 02:52:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in Gruyère (none / 1)

Is it a Cow Parade, Fran?

by Sassafras on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 05:01:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in...Sultanahmet.. (4.00 / 7)

by Sassafras on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 05:24:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in...Sultanahmet.. (none / 1)

Great, there seems to be a real cowmania.

by Fran on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 02:23:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in...Sultanahmet.. (4.00 / 3)

For a while, these cows seemed to be stalking me.

They were the absolute (and completely unexpected) highlight of the visit for the children when we went to Prague. And then Manchester.

They were so excited when they saw the Cow Parade banners in Istanbul-but there were no cows anywhere and the tourist information office could tell us nothing.

This picture was taken on our last morning, when we went for one final walk (and simit!) and discovered cows had sprung up in the night!

Looks like the next Cow Parade will be in Madrid.

I hope somebody will take pictures for us (hint). :)

by Sassafras on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 04:13:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in...Sultanahmet.. (4.00 / 2)

Thanks, for the information Sassafras! I must admit to my ignorance and not knowing about the cow parade. Now, that you mention it, I seem to remember seeing cows in Paris after meeting, but can not find the pictures. :-(

by Fran on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 04:42:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in...Sultanahmet.. (4.00 / 2)

My Prague and Manchester cows (and photographs of bears in Berlin) aren't digital. The best are in an album and are probably stuck down beyond retrieval for scanning...

by Sassafras on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 04:53:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in...Sultanahmet.. (none / 1)

I get the drift, but the page for the Madrid parade doesn´t open for me. If you see the dates, please let me know and I´ll do it.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 04:19:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I can add some cows in Gruyère (4.00 / 2)

Sort of, it is an exhibition at a highway restaurant, which has been there for many years, with ever changing cows.

by Fran on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 02:24:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

From estHer (4.00 / 5)

Late August in the Pyrenees.

From Esther- ne pas effacer

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 03:30:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Sharpened version. (4.00 / 7)

From Esther- ne pas effacer

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 03:41:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Gorgeous! (none / 1)

I like the sharpened version.

by olivia on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 06:16:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

From estHer (4.00 / 9)

From Esther- ne pas effacer

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 04:24:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: From estHer (none / 0)

Nice!

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 11:43:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

From estHer (4.00 / 8)

From Esther- ne pas effacer

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 05:02:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

From estHer (4.00 / 8)

From Esther- ne pas effacer

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 06:45:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

At the Jardins du Luxembourg. (4.00 / 5)

From Misc-Do not delete-3

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 06:55:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: At the Jardins du Luxembourg. (4.00 / 3)

The above three were taken with my 50mm lens; I hardly use it so I was just playing.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 06:58:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: At the Jardins du Luxembourg. (none / 0)

They look sharp. I always have too narrow depth of field when I use my 50mm. Usually because it is in low light conditions so I need the small f number.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 07:08:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: At the Jardins du Luxembourg. (none / 0)

I sharpened the first two with Picasa's sharpening tool. The third looked too sharp so I left it alone.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 09:11:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: At the Jardins du Luxembourg. (none / 0)

I need to learn how to sharpen using photoshop.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 06:43:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: At the Jardins du Luxembourg. (none / 0)

Filter/sharpen/unsharp mask on mine...

No, I didn't find it right away...

by Sassafras on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 06:58:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (4.00 / 11)

My friend's kid:

Some more from my weekend trip here.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 11:40:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (4.00 / 8)

Clouds, Department of Seine et Marne (77)

From Misc-Do not delete-3

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 12:02:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

For Sven (4.00 / 9)

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 04:24:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: For Sven (4.00 / 2)

Oh! My local Carrefour!

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 04:36:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: For Sven (4.00 / 3)

This should be published as a double spread....

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 05:18:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (4.00 / 5)

We took a small vacation (overnight) to the Island of Ciudad del Carmen yesterday and today. Along the way I tried to snap a few quick photos as the car whizzed along. Not too successful. I finally set the focus at infinity and shot these two panoramas of the River Grijalva near its mouth at Frontera, Tabasco, MX.

This is actually of the river/Gulf port of Frontera. As can be seen the river looks to be near flood stage. The vegetation floating in it is always there. Someone said it's hyacinth, but I'm not so sure.

Looking towards the mouth with the town on the right. A rather impressive river at this point.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 11:29:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (4.00 / 6)

One of the restoration projects I'm working on at the moment. This old black and white (approx. 11"x14") was in pretty bad shape and the print paper was the textured type that makes it difficult to scan.

The Before

The work-in-progress version. I haven't decided on colors - these are temporary and easily changed or reverted to B&W - or the background with its walking out of a frame look. In general, it still needs work here and there, especially the eyes and the dress. Arrg, I'm never happy.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Fri Sep 5th, 2008 at 11:41:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (none / 0)

It looks good to me. It's an interesting photo, when was it taken do you know?

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 02:49:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (none / 1)

I don't really know when it was taken, but my best guess would be about 40-50 years ago. I haven't spoken to the owner. She (subject's mother) dropped it off last summer and said she was in no hurry to have it done as long as it was completed before she died! I usually convert B&W portraits to color here in Mexico because everyone prefers it. In think it's a cultural thing about seeing a loved one as they were in real life. However, because I don't know the lady, I had to guess all the colors including hair and skin tone.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 10:48:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (none / 1)

I remember you showing us some before. The colouring reminds me slightly of the work of Jan Saudek - a Czech photographer who I first 'found' in Prague but I was already familiar with one of his pieces since it was the cover of a Soul Asylum album.

btw most of the photos through the link are not safe for work. He's very controversial but I find his work extremely interesting.

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 11:01:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: reminded (4.00 / 2)

I see what you mean. It looks like he used a desaturated background and added the figures with different lighting and maybe a little color for the foreground.

I separated the girl from the original b&w background and then used a couple of 50% grey layers with patterns in between the two to darken and de-emphasize the background. The background, as it was, was too distracting with too many people and even leaves growing out of the girl's head. So, I toyed with the idea of using a typical studio background (digitally created). In the end I decided just to retain some of the original background, as a remembrance of the setting, but to update the portrait in time by using color and the frame effect. Hope she likes it. Not something everyone has.

The next step will be to finalize colors (not fond of the yellow duck purse - maybe it should be white.) Maybe the dress should be a different color also, and that gap in the lower right tail of the dress should probably be filled in. Too much contrast in the facial features also. The eyes are the soul of a portrait and these lack detail. If the lady has another photo with better eyes, I could replace them and make her face come to life. I've been known to discretely use eyes borrowed from someone else. See, it just never ends!

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 06:05:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: reminded (none / 1)

I've seen that same photo as B&W - I think it is all done with film and then colours added during the processing. Not sure how though.

Amazing what you can achieve with computer wizardry! I like the fact that the real background is still there, and it looks a bit like she is stepping out of it. Maybe a cream/ivory colour would be better for the purse?

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sun Sep 7th, 2008 at 05:19:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: reminded (none / 1)

Good idea for purse color. It looked white in the original but with all the lace being white, the purse was kind of lost. One of the challenges with some of these older prints is figuring out what everything is supposed to be. Color helps separate things especially if the print isn't all that sharp or has damage.

Yes, I think all of this can be achieved in the traditional darkroom with tinting or after printing by handcoloring using Marshall's photo oils. I had considered hand painting on B&W print paper myself until I discovered Photoshop. Using oils is still of interest but I don't have the time for both.

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Sun Sep 7th, 2008 at 11:05:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (none / 0)

I am not sure that adding colours and accents, that you do not know existed at the time of the photograph, are relevant for documentary reality - whatever that is.

I am kind of in this very weak position that says 'Give me your poor, underexposed or illiterately framed photographs and I will make of them as I will - but give me a photoshopped version that dabbles in anything more than contrast, colour saturation or colour cast, and I'm prepared with all sorts of barriers to accepting your image.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Sun Sep 7th, 2008 at 06:11:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (4.00 / 9)

Yesterday's récolte from my modest container garden. [I let this batch of green beans go too far, but they're still good, steamed]

Tomatoes, alpine strawberries, eggplant and various herbs, parsley, sage, thyme, basil.

Yet to fall into the basket are figs and 'piments pigeon' [small hot peppers].

This is what is keeping me sane as I contend with an undue series of hard drive failures ...

by Loefing on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 09:05:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Photos as usual (4.00 / 3)

Yum!

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 10:22:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I haven't seen your signature (4.00 / 2)

in a rather long time. Love to hear your comments/additions to my garden diaries.

paul spencer

by paul spencer (paulgspencer@gmail.com) on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 11:32:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I haven't seen your signature (none / 1)

Nice, Paul. Thanks.

I've missed posting, here, and most particularly to your enticing garden diaries [which I've perused in haste], but my "boss" keeps telling me I don't have time for it.

Been living 6 months or so between two continents, during which time Murphey's Law has tended to prevail.

Tho, according to my calculations, I'll be a freer and more serene person by the beginning of next year.

Can't wait! :-))

by Loefing on Mon Sep 8th, 2008 at 06:10:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Friday Photography Blog No.51 | 129 comments (129 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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