Hello everyone,
I recently took a day trip to Hanging Rock state park in North Carolina. Mostly to photography some waterfalls. I still have a lot to go through but these were just a few I thought were decent and did some edits to. Which one do you like best? Also, would love to get some feedback/CC. I'm sure some people are going to think some of my processing is a little too much but that's ok. Thanks in advance!
really like the 3rd one. On the first one the magenta/red in the foreground is a little unreal for me. On the second I am not sure what you want me to look at. also the plant in the front is to bright for the rest of the picture. I just like the way that the water flows on the third one, and I like the leaves in the foreground. If it was mine I might flip it just because I think that it would read better. the fourth one would have been helped by a polarizer to take the glare off of the water and it could use a little less yellow in the rocks. Finally the last one has potential but I think that it could use some work.. All of this being said that is my 2 cents worth. They are your pictures and you only have to please yourself (unless of course you are getting paid) :) stay well and keep shooting
These are all OK, Kyle, but for one thing. John has touched on unnatural-looking colours, and for me the tinted water (is that a urinal feeding the top right one?) leaps out looking at them.
Thanks for the feedback guys. I get it and I half way expected this type of reaction. I was experimenting with some things I don't usually do in color effects pro. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. Here is the first one with just basic LR adjustments. I'm going to go back to the drawing board on all of these and maybe leave out the color effects.
I think this illustrates the problem with using others' ideas instead of your own creativity. You have some fine images in your portfolio, Kyle - much better than these. Maybe they used pre-made effects, but I suspect they used more you.
Why not just look at your RAW file, and think what it needs to fulfil your expectations e.g. at this attractive location? Then adjust tonal values, colour, etc. as needed to achieve that. It often doesn't take much, basically to get the image "there". Tweaking can take longer.
I think a lot of what's posted on FS is ruined by the use of presets or predetermined generic processing. The effect is often gaudy.
Thanks a lot Chris! I tend to agree with you as well. I think sometimes I get caught up with trying to do to much. I'll sometimes use a LR preset to get to a starting point but I think most of the time my photos turn out better when I just do everything my self.
I think another thing that happens is I see all these photos on some of my local FB photo groups that just look god awful but they always get a ton of likes and comments and I just roll my eyes. I think I let that affect my own editing sometimes.
Thanks again for your comments!
Going after the "likes" is a slippery slide. Do you really want thousands of adoring fans with bad taste (from your perspective) liking your work? What would that say about your work, Kyle?
The amount of overall positive response to my posts doesn't bear much correlation to my own view of their worth. The amount of positive response from people whose work I respect DOES correlate. No one's work is going to appeal to everyone.
With all due respect to the hosts of FS, to whom I'm very grateful for this forum, I don't think any of them will go down in history as distinguished ("fine art" if you must - what a grandiose term when people apply it to their own work!) photographers. Nor do they claim greatness. They are technically competent, and produce eye-catching imagery which appeals to many. But not me. Much of it is scenic photography of inherently spectacular locations. I no longer even want to visit Iceland or Patagonia as I once did because they've become visual clichés on FS.
On the other hand, I have saved nearly 4000 (!) images from ordinary members including yourself in my FS folder because I enjoy looking at them.
Just do the Kyle Foreman thing, and let us see it.
It is tough not to chase the likes. And it's tough sometimes when I post an image I really like and it doesn't get the engagement I think it should. And then I'll post one that's just ok. One, that I post on instagram just to post something and it'll get a ton of likes. I also recently had a photo published in a NC specific magazine and if you asked me what my first published photo would be I would have never guessed the one that was. It was one I posted to IG just to post something but it happened to line up well with a piece they were doing.
I try my best and I feel like I've been working for the past couple years to develop my own style. It's also a lot more rewarding when you have a photo that's 100% yours that turns out really well.
I agree with you as well about the Iceland and Patagonia thing. Although, I would still like to go just to travel. I doubt I could take a photo that hasn't already been taken though. It would still be nice to have my version of it though! Because of the reasons you mention I've been trying to explore my local area more. Especially now that it's fall. And find my own secret spots that haven't been done to death yet. It's getting harder to find those spots though, even locally.
Thanks again for all your comments and I will definitely continue to do my thing and see where it takes me!