It's the trying that matters, the results will come. We can't see wot the photographer saw at the time & wot difference the flash makes to the picy.I can imagine going by the tree shadow on the road without flash the sign would have been quite dark, so by using the flash the sign takes on an important part of the composition by attracting the eye first with it's stark white on black & the arrow directing us to the duck. I would think this picy without the flash on the sign would be composed wrongly & also look like it was taken by a girl:-)
After reading wot I just wrote made me wish I had voted for it:-)
I think Rod was just trying to find something nice to say before he told me what he didn't like. Ha ha ha. Dear old Rod.
So, there is nothing special about this photo except that I had tried hard to get something better but nothing worked out. I saw the cute shot and took it with flash so it would qualify. No worries - you're not missing a thing (unless Rod has something else to say).
Penny Street
Guest
19-May-2008 17:29
Oh! No no no! I would never disqualify an entry if the submitter has met the requirements. And you have, most visibly and its certainly on topic, no questions there. Yes, I saw the shadows of the leaves on the sign.
I agree about the cuteness of the photo and you have done well to leave enough clues of that along with the apt title, but here is what I should have asked in the first place. How is the flash/opening of shadows relevant to the "cute" essence of the photo. Is it making it more cuter? Agreed that opening of the shadows is surely a creative use of the flash. but but... how did it help here... I am not looking for an justification but more of an understanding that may be I am missing something which you have Rod seem to have got. I am feeling left out here....
-Cat
The flash was pointed at the sign (I'm sure you can see the shadows).
I did try and lighten the duck slightly and, even though I feathered it, there's still a very slight halo. I actually tried a couple of times and thought this was pretty good. I didnt sharpen at all but I think I may have added some contrast to bring out the shadows in the rocks. Maybe that's the problem.
Anyway, I thought the photo was cute, so whatever.. not creative flash though... If you want to get rid of it....well, that's up to you.
Penny Street
Guest
19-May-2008 14:28
Yes, flash was used, I can see. About opening the shadows, I am not sure if the flash added any value as such. Which shadows did it open? Thats a question for Rod and Penny. On the sharpening point, I do see notice some halos, although mainly because I went looking for them.
-Cat
Rod
19-May-2008 07:36
To open up the shadow areas in a picy is creative in my book so well done Penny. Is this a crop or isit over sharpened a bit? It looks a little hard down here.
