tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.comments2012-10-08T17:26:42.570-07:00John Leech Studio – photography and watercolour paintingJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-8793601208925747152012-10-08T17:26:42.570-07:002012-10-08T17:26:42.570-07:00perferct! your photoblog is so beautiful but i do...perferct! your photoblog is so beautiful but i don't practise no more english but your photography are intessssing point of view and pure graphics. Thansk to coming home.<br />cordially. <br />JorgeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16711403202547977834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-60440600822201132922011-10-20T06:02:33.320-07:002011-10-20T06:02:33.320-07:00That top photo is great John!That top photo is great John!Ian Bramhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01675790218931867993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-85160060072416517572011-08-25T23:23:43.092-07:002011-08-25T23:23:43.092-07:00Thanks MikeThanks MikeJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-35218155906469217372011-08-17T19:45:44.352-07:002011-08-17T19:45:44.352-07:00Beautiful photo and excellent result!Beautiful photo and excellent result!Michael O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011287850833658773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-30240444918721378352011-08-12T06:45:10.124-07:002011-08-12T06:45:10.124-07:00Thanks Michael. Its not an easy place to find new ...Thanks Michael. Its not an easy place to find new compositions as there are few elements to play with in the vicinity. The road aspect and the parking has always frustrated me in shots that I've seen in the past - it would be a far more photogenic location if it were just a pedestrian walkway (maybe the odd horse drawn carriage thrown in, and why not add a dusting of snow and golden hour light while I'm at it). <br /><br />Most shots involve trying to minimise or hide the road, so I quite enjoy the irony of making the road the dominant feature of the composition :~)Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-9293960469343699602011-08-12T06:16:36.898-07:002011-08-12T06:16:36.898-07:00That last one is great! I've seen a lot of Mo...That last one is great! I've seen a lot of Mont St. Michel shots but I don't think I've ever seen this view.Michael O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011287850833658773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-68171407601029533072011-08-09T19:45:36.675-07:002011-08-09T19:45:36.675-07:00I really like that last one and look forward to se...I really like that last one and look forward to seeing more.Michael O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011287850833658773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-42030590449989272342011-07-17T02:05:13.462-07:002011-07-17T02:05:13.462-07:00Interesting. Thanks for the comment Matt. I've...Interesting. Thanks for the comment Matt. I've pretty much ignored the colour version from the off as it wasn't what I was after. I had another look at it this morning and a bit of a tinker to see where it would go, but I find the composition more awkward in colour. Meanwhile my black and white was going way too hdr and losing a sense of subject. The sky was pretty crass too. I'll add version (h) to the pot which I think addresses that better.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-43425236006319277612011-07-16T19:12:13.143-07:002011-07-16T19:12:13.143-07:00I quite like the color original as well John. It&#...I quite like the color original as well John. It's a fabulous photo. In fact I think the color original is quite perfect as it is!Matt Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11586530978349794447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-72311907797709452302011-07-15T14:36:00.541-07:002011-07-15T14:36:00.541-07:00Amen. It's also nice to give your loved ones ...Amen. It's also nice to give your loved ones a break every once in a while.Michael O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011287850833658773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-18576705775664828122011-07-15T11:00:27.942-07:002011-07-15T11:00:27.942-07:00Hehe, you did well to lift it at all!
When I was...Hehe, you did well to lift it at all! <br /><br />When I was at college there used to be an enormous one of these in the centre of the studio. It had a life of its own! Mum hacked hers back to a stump one year and grew lots of baby monsters from the cuttings. It was fascinating how the first leaf has no splits, then it gains an extra one for each additional leaf as it grows.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-37668921153120275102011-07-15T06:47:14.377-07:002011-07-15T06:47:14.377-07:00I like the "Monster" photo John. Actuall...I like the "Monster" photo John. Actually it reminds me of a HUGE tropical plant my mom had in the house I grew up in. In the Winter our house was like a jungle. There were dozens of plants all over the place. Then in the Spring after any chance of frost was gone, I'd have to help haul all the plants outside so they would get better sunshine for the warm months. <br /><br />I didn't mind so much I guess, but I always hated having to help my dad carry that monster tropical one. Big. Heavy. Awkward. Not to mention not being able to see where you're going because of all the greenery draped over your head!<br /><br />Yep. Brings me right back. It's a good one, too bad it didn't come away with the win.Matt Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11586530978349794447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-53631874637251924672011-07-04T05:35:34.652-07:002011-07-04T05:35:34.652-07:002 hours, over a shot a minute? You want to get you...2 hours, over a shot a minute? You want to get yourself some heavy ND filters to slow you down! Mind you, it very much depends on what you are shooting. <br /><br />I had an action packed weekend supporting a run, though managed to sneak 2 location shoots. In terms of weather, the day was booked weeks ago, so no choice there. In terms of waiting for the light, I had a schedule and needed to find some sleeping time too (maybe 4 hours tops!) so not a lot of choice there either. But I did think about Fatali and wondered how he'd have managed the day. <br /><br />Both locations were good, though late afternoon wasn't ideal timing for the first. The second one was around dawn. A couple of shots with promise, though one of those days which gradually got lighter - the colour versions of the shots are very little different to the black and white. I think Fatali would still be sitting there, waiting.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-70529348116703602202011-07-01T08:25:59.294-07:002011-07-01T08:25:59.294-07:00It's pretty impressive. I wish I had the time...It's pretty impressive. I wish I had the time to wait that long. I never wait. If the light is good, I take the shot. If not, well, I probably still take it, but I'll delete it later.<br /><br />I do try to plan my dedicated outings around the weather forecast and sun position data (I use suncalc.net). That might make me choose one morning over another, but I won't sitting around waiting for the light.<br /><br />If i got out for 2 hours or so (typical for a pre-work morning shoot) I might come back with 100 - 200 shots. From there I'll cull down to less than 10, probably less than 5. Among those the number that are really, really good is usually zero.Michael O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011287850833658773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-88215425113994273112011-06-28T10:07:22.444-07:002011-06-28T10:07:22.444-07:00Thanks Mike.
The main problem I find with the &#...Thanks Mike. <br /><br />The main problem I find with the 'rules' is that they are taken to be set in stone. If they are read as loose principles they form a far better starting point. The two main offenders are thirds and leading lines - I'd scrap any reference to leading lines altogether and take thirds as meaning reasonably off centre. Thirds can work, but so can forths, fifths, sixths... it has more to do with the flow of energy in the image than some archaic mathematical formula (as do leading lines).<br /><br />Other devices worth a mention are S-curves, they do have a habit of working, and foreground interest. The key with foreground interest is ensuring the foreground and background work together. Joe Cornish used foreground interest frequently - and to great effect.<br /><br />Always work on relationships, the relationship between individual elements in the photograph, the relationship between these and the edge of the image, and ultimately the relationship between the elements and the viewer.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-51128367708128999212011-06-28T09:29:03.281-07:002011-06-28T09:29:03.281-07:00Your best post to date. Very interesting.
For me...Your best post to date. Very interesting.<br /><br />For me, composition is something I think about constantly, mainly because it is a struggle. I suspect it comes more naturally for some, but my mechanistic mind needs to really think it through.<br /><br />For that reason I'm the kind of person that can easily get trapped by the "rules" so it's always appreciated to read practical compositional thoughts that stray from formulas.Michael O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011287850833658773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-8103654287317650562011-06-17T02:39:43.901-07:002011-06-17T02:39:43.901-07:00Thanks everyone.
Mikko, indeed, that tree was fu...Thanks everyone. <br /><br />Mikko, indeed, that tree was full of whales.<br /><br />Michael - the main thing with the sliders is to play with all of them and see how similar results can be made from different setting, then understanding what the real differences between them are. With the photoshop black and white converter I often find the yellow and red sliders have similar effects in landscapes - but if going for extremes you need to carefully balance how far you take either as they can result in strange triangular highlights and an animated glow effect. <br /><br />Amanda - you seem to be more advanced in the workings of the blog site, at least you have a proper front page on yours rather than straight into an article. I must look into how this site works :~)Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01579816209067268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-83166908391348431102011-06-17T02:10:55.341-07:002011-06-17T02:10:55.341-07:00Welcome to the blog world! Your first post has mor...Welcome to the blog world! Your first post has more text in it than all of mine put together! My fave is the first one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-60343743261821298172011-06-15T06:23:38.050-07:002011-06-15T06:23:38.050-07:00A welcome addition to the blogosphere. Nice write...A welcome addition to the blogosphere. Nice write-up on your thinking regarding these tree shots. Nice little nugget in there about the yellow slider -- more like that, please.<br /><br />I know you love #1 but my preference would be: 4, 3, 2, 1.Michael O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011287850833658773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803271868058663457.post-58564251496536191462011-06-15T03:29:52.988-07:002011-06-15T03:29:52.988-07:00Good start to your blog John!
I like first versio...Good start to your blog John!<br /><br />I like first version, but 3rd is much better with a) no violent cropping and b)abstract background gives more room for imagination. It looks like whale eating tree to me.. ;-I<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />MikkoMikkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09873488507385323584noreply@blogger.com