falling * by Tobias Heer by Canon DSLR Challenge

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29.4.2004	Tobias

falling * by Tobias Heer

Tübingen

Do you know this dream... falling and falling and when you wake up you still got this funny feeling in you stomach... This one was inspired by this dream I dream really often... I hope there are no psycologists amongst you....

The stairway has been modified (the building originally has 3 floors) and motion blur has been added in PS. Some minor colour modifications have been made too.

Canon EOS 10D ,Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

other sizes: small medium original auto

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Please do not delete, update, or otherwise edit others' entries
* Submitter retains all copyrights *

Guest		05-May-2004 17:38
I like this one a lot. Great concept and excellent execution, Congratulations!

Canon DSLR Challenge		03-May-2004 20:58
Great shot. I'm normally no big fan of PS effects but this one adds another dimension to the pic

Canon DSLR Challenge		03-May-2004 17:48
Tobias: I like the image, for reasons several have already mentioned. As for the PS work, fine by me. If there were $100,000 on the line, then I suppose firm standards would be in order. Not the case. I admire (a) your honesty and encouragement of the dialogue, and (b) the creativity to step beyond the limits of the original image, in engaging and convincing fashion. Everyone has their tastes and their tools. To me, so long as the work you present is your own, the end result is all that matters. Nice image. --Joe

Georgia Roessler		03-May-2004 15:22
Way after the fact, I'd like to add that I too find this photo very appealing. The PS work really adds to it, does not seem at all contrived. IMHO, this is the way it should be. The contrast of the brurry areas with the sharp ones really DO give the illusion of falling. Very nicely done!

Canon DSLR Challenge		02-May-2004 08:30
Thanks for the hint but the black triangles are there in reality, too. They are also seen in the left edges. They are part of the inner black border painted on the left (inner side of the stairs). --Tobias

Guest		02-May-2004 02:52
One minor criticism. I think where you pasted the smaller image is visible, where it needn't be. I see a triangle of black. To lead you to the spot, imagine you are walking downstairs holding onto the banister. Start from the top and count the corners you pass. I see the black triangles at corners 5 and 8, for example. These could be easily painted/cloned out. -- Victor

Canon DSLR Challenge		30-Apr-2004 21:07
Thanks for all the nice comments and the positive discussion. Yes... at last I found a stairway :-) It's not as perfect as FretNoMores (Pattern Challenge) but it has a nice shape and a beautiful blue floor. Sometimes I am blind. This stairway is at the university where I study. I have been walking up and down these stairs for 3 years now... and I never even thought of taking a picture of it till last thursday. I think sometimes I have to learn to see. --Tobias

Canon DSLR Challenge		30-Apr-2004 20:58
Great image and I don't think PP detracts from it, in fact, it adds to it and makes this photo all the more appealing..... Vikas

Pete Downing		30-Apr-2004 20:00
This is a stunning image that positively screams movement at you the more you look at it. If this is deemed outside of the challenge then I can only hope I can be this far outside of a challenge one day :-)

Olaf.dk		30-Apr-2004 19:31
So, finally you found a staircase to do a shot like that on! To me, it is the result that counts - how you got there is of less importance - at least when we are talking images. In Life, I think it is the other way around: we know the end result - it's all about how we get there! I think you've done very well here, both in capture and in post! --Olaf

jonokimber		30-Apr-2004 12:37
I think this image is great. The colours, contrast and well edited blurring. IMO i think it falls well inside the general parameters of the DSLR Challenge as a whole. It is up to the voters to decide if the amount or quality of post processing has taken the photo beyond the realms of the actual challenge of the moment. It certainly hasn't broken any rules, so let the voters decide. Who knows, it might not score too highly, which might give an indication that PP is not too acceptable for such a pure subject. I looked back at 'Uproarious' (or whatever it was called) and see that the winner (I think it was the winner anyway) obviously had a fair amount of PP in it! The one with the guy coming out of the computer monitor. I don't recall any complaints about that as PP suited the subject of the challenge of the moment. So, to wrap up. If the Challenge chooser wants to be more specific about restricting PP, fair enough. But if not, then the voters will decide if things have gone too far. Either way, i like it, and its made people talk and stimulated us in ways that are good for us. Jono

Canon DSLR Challenge		30-Apr-2004 07:15
Thanks for you comment mike!!! Oh.... Who wrote the challenge rules this time??? ... That guy forgot post processing ;-).... I should have mentioned that, thats true. I just wanted to give some examples how motion can be captured. The challenge topic (in my opinion) is just the framework for the ideas of the photographers. It determines the content of the image not the workflow or the way it should be taken. About my work with the camera: It is true. The original image had a different message ("Stairway") but it would simply have been impossible to express my ideas without post processing. Try to refocus manually with one hand leaning over the railway to get the right perspective without dropping the camera (okay... don't ever do that!!!!). You need long exposure times to get a nice zoom explosion. It was impossible to stretch to this position without shaking a lot. The shot would have looked horrible. Making the stairway longer was important to make the whole thing surreal. If I had not done that the message would have been "suicide". Thats definitely not what I want to express. I wanted "falling forever" as message. I hope thats what the image says. This is no "the-image-is-so-boring-let's-add-a-photoshop-filter" picture. I knew what I wanted to do before I took that shot. Altering the original image was the only way I saw to get it done. Don't get me wrong: Pure Photograpy is wonderful. I love people who can do magic with their camera. I love people who capture pure reality and let me see trough their eyes. @lonnit: thanks for your nice comment. Thats exactly how I feel. To come to an end: I think as long as you don't pretend that the image was created without post processing manipulation is okay. You might want to read a very good text about this topic? http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/cloning-the-can.shtml This text is discussing about photography, ethics and post processing. It's very interresting. Thanks for your opinions about this topic! Some more opinions? (oh... I love to discuss this topic whith photographers from DSRL challenge because I think there are many many many very good and talented people paricipating and the quality of the enries is always far above average) --Tobias

Guest		30-Apr-2004 02:39
I read the challenge rules as "Think about freezing movement using a short shutter speed or making movement visible by using long exposures" Dont get me wrong I like this "manipulated" photo. I just dont see the work you have done with the camera ,I do however like your photo shop skills. This wood have got my vote in a photo shop challeng. Nice work. Mike C

Guest		30-Apr-2004 02:23
Personally I think this shot is fantastic! I LOVE the clarity in the middle. I think is zooms you right into the spiral. Art should draw one into the picture - if this doesn't draw one in, nothing does! It adds a sense of motion and dizzyness that is teerific! This is an excellent example of post processing enhancing an image, and not just being there to say "hey! Look what I can do with a computer" just to something with a shot that belonged in the trash. This may not still be considered a photo, but it certainly is art. There have been plenty of challenge entries that were pure photography that would not be considered art. To me, GOOD photography is art, poor photography is just a snapshot. I'd take your tweaked shot and put above a snapshot any day. But this is just all my personal opinion. And, as the wise rule says, if you think it's got too much processing, don't vote for it! THIS would get my vote in a heartbeat! Great job! ~ Lonnit (This is purely my own opinion and I mean no disrespect whatsoever to purists or anyone else. No matter how your opinion differs from mine, it is of no less valuable to me, and of no less value than my own.)

Canon DSLR Challenge		30-Apr-2004 00:39
Oh... by the way... a lot of entries in the last challenges have far mor post processing and manipulation in PS. Compared to * Who Pressed ESC? by Teapot (first Place Challenge 10) * Beam Me Up, Scotty! by Lonnit Rysher (Challenge 10) * St. Paul's Cathedral by Enigmarogue (7th Place Challenge 12) * Reflections of a Former Rider by johnebones (8th place Challenge 12) * Shadow of Time by Denise Wall (1st Place Challenge 4) the amount of post processing I did is fairly low and less obvious. This is an interresting topic... lets discuss! --Tobias

Canon DSLR Challenge		29-Apr-2004 23:14
You're right there is a lot of post processing in this image. But in my opinion this is not just a SLR challenge. It's the DSLR challenge. Digital photograpy offers a lot of chances and opportunities. I think using tools to express the feelings of the author is not wrong. Of course everyone has to decide if he or she votes for pure photograpy or if they vote for the result of a digital workflow. As stated in the rules there is no limitation for post processing. Well maybe I have overdone it... maybe not. It's you to decide wheather you like the result or not. Thanks for your honest opinion! --Tobias

bee1000		29-Apr-2004 21:49
Thanks for your honesty about your PS work - it is clearly impressive. I originally thought you may have created this by using a long shutter speed and zooming while the shutter was open (or while the sensor was recording, whatever). It's a great image, but in my opinion, it's goes over the line as far as what constitutes a photo. If this were a Photoshop challenge instead of a CSLR challenge, you'd have my vote!