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Well I think we are up to Part 6. (I've been a bit slack and slowed down my sorting and processing, the sheer volume of images is taking its toll).

The first image is pushing my photography more into the art realm, (influenced in part by rubbing shoulders with artists on redbubble).
I really like how the sky came out in this image, and overal I'm pretty happy with it. This was a result of a single shot HDR plus a lot of fiddling around trying new things in in Photoshop, it's purposely superstaturated but I also like it when I pull that back a bit so people aren't bright orange.


The second is an image from stonehenge taken at the max height of the tripod with the lens resting on the top of the stupid fence they have keeping tourists out and photographers frustrated. It was super hard framing the shot with my the camera a foot above my head, and no chance to see through the view finder. Essentially I took a shot, checked the general position on the LCD, and moved the camera left a bit, right a bit, down a bit etc

Hope your not sick of shots from the Louvre, as here is another one which I has grown on me. Manta also mucked around with the tilt/shift lens treatment and came up with some cool results here.
http://www.digitalcoffeelounge.com/files/mini_181323715_l_207.jpg


And to finish off another Louvre shot yep I think I'm almost done with them. This one is just an off the cuff shot, turned around and quickly snapped a few frames as the couple walked into position.

Great stuff, Craig. The first is amazing (didn't notice the orange people till you pointed them out).

The second one, in comparison, doesn't do much for me. The symmetry in the 3rd is great, and I like the simplicity of the 4th.

Well done.

First shot is breathtaking. Nice work.

Rest are great also.

Craig, #1 is an excellent example of HDR. If that is the look you were going for, then you have done it well.

Personally, the look of HDR is not to my taste. I know you have only to look on DP Challenge to see how popular it is, but I'm not a fan. If I were attacking this shot I'd possibly look into a selection of the tower and a gradient on the sky.

I love the moody colour in #2.

Cheers

Macka - Usually I'm not a fan of the over-done HDR like I've used on the Eiffel Tower, most I just hate, and look like vomit in this case, I thought it worked ok, astleast for the sky (which looks crap straight from camera). Like I said its a bit of a departure and me trying to be a bit more creative, and not just churning out the same old images and processing. But the "popular" overdone HDR on a whole I hate, I'd rather see it produce additional dynamic range but leaving the photo looking like a photo, not so pyschadelic crayon sketch.

Craig,

nice selection of shots. The first one really looks more like a painting so printed on canvas would likely suit it nicely. Third one is also very nice.

Kris, I also agree that HDR can be taken a bit too far. I use HDR myself but I always try to keep it the way I saw it on the day. As you say, if that's the look that Craig was going for, I think that it suits this shot.

Thanks for sharing and I'm not getting tired of the shots.

Cheers,

André

Craig, lovely shots.
I can see what you're trying to do in that first one, I really like the sky but I'm in two minds about the foreground. I haven't delved into HDR yet, is it possible to do localised HDR? or use the history brush to revert back to original in some parts of the photo?

Phillip - I'm using photomatix so it profides me with a image at the end, so I can't do localised HDR, I can bring this back into CS2 and blend it with the original image and see what I can do.
This version is a bit more normal.
http://www.digitalcoffeelounge.com/files/dsc_3775abc_web_184.jpg

Just with the "Orange People" have you tried the sponge tool? At say 9% opacity and then just desaturate the areas that you dont want over saturated? Make sure you have 0% hardness on the brush though!

I could show you what I mean if my descriptions isn't up to scratch!

Worth a try!

Woooo at the first one!!!

I for one am not the least bit sick of the Lourve shots either.... its a close call for me between them as to which is my fav though... hows about we just call it a tie...

First one is great, maybe cropping it by a bit tighter will make it even more appealing

I have had a play with the 1st one with the sponge tool and this is the end result!



I used 20% opacity!

Alpha_7 wrote:so psychedelic crayon sketch.

I've never thought of describing it like that, but that is quite apt.

Anyway it is a matter of personal taste rather than camera technique so what matters is if you are happy with it.

I'm curious to see the original if you don't mind?

Mack I don't have the original resized but I have I have a frame a second before or after (the people have moved slightly that is the onyl difference.

Thanks Craig. I'm on a really crappy monitor here at work but I look forward to seeing it at home.

Craig, that first shot of the tower is fantastic..the clouds really make this shot.