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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 67: Close-up Photography >> Challenge 67 : Eligible > (Up), Close to the Public Footpath *
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30/10/2004 Paul Donovan

(Up), Close to the Public Footpath *

Milton Keynes, UK

I had been thinking about "Up Close and Personal" and I liked the fact that the arrow pointed up....a tenuous link I know! I liked the detail in the wood and it seemed a good one to practice B&W on. Re-submitted to pointlessly add a date 'cos the rules say so'.


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Rod 05-Nov-2004 21:59
Gday Paul, Yes my anti frame & sig tirade will run it's course & become boring,(already has) it's mostly done in fun although I believe what I'm saying. As far as frames improving a decent shot, we normally learn any endeavour from the masters on down seeing frames & sigs on photos only tells me that people have started their learning from a point way down the list. Do you know of any well known photographers of to-day (from my day,Ansel Adams, Bret Weston, Bresson, etc) into the art of photography that use frames & sigs when published in book form or on the net? These are the inspiration if we're serious amateurs. Maybe the mistake I'm making after coming out of my nearly 30 year photographic coma is that people using frames & sigs are not serious amateurs but people just having a bit of fun with a camera, which is fine. They seem to want to learn how to be a better photographer & that is done by getting a shot that ses wow to you without adding frames & sigs. The thinking that frames & sigs gives the shot a pseudo professional look is quite sad really, though it may suit a wedding photographer to sell his shots to the “not interested” in photography clients. I've enjoyed talking with you Paul, thanks mate:-)
ctfchallenge03-Nov-2004 11:27
Thanks Rod. I still say it depends on the shot. I've taken photos where black borders look horrible, put a white border on it and in my view it looks better. You don't like borders, I don't like x, someone else doesn't like y. You just come across like they are 'wrong' or 'incorrect' when I think you should be saying you don't like them...which is fine...but after a while we get the message :)
Rod 03-Nov-2004 10:32
Paul, don't forget rules are meant to be broken but only after we have learnt them :-) The Black frame is only a preference really, we used to put a black border around our colour shots 30 years ago which gave the impression of deeper colours. The only benefit of black borders is it can enhance the presentation of some shots without saying look at me, which all other colours do to varying degrees. Also comments are not to be taken as being the correct way the shot should be either, as we all know when we try something in PS thinking it will look better half the time it turns out worse. (in my case 90%):-)
Guest 02-Nov-2004 20:19
I would say less DOF! =) Nice bw photo. /Jonas
aam1234 01-Nov-2004 20:20
The third is the main pole, the big one! it points upwards, right?
Paul Donovan 01-Nov-2004 19:34
Many thanks aam, I was coming round to the out of focus bit as well, I can see 2 arrows, unless you are counting the split bit of wood on the right as another one ?!
aam1234 01-Nov-2004 19:03
Personally, I like the out of focus part. It leads the eyes to the main subject.
Hmm, there are three upward pointing arrows in the pic. Is that intentional?
ctfchallenge01-Nov-2004 11:11
Black borders ok, white borders not? What are the rules on borders Rod - I've noticed they've diminished on the challenges since you joined! Thanks though Rod, appreciate the feedback and I agree I wish I could've got mor DOF. I think I should be less worried about ISO (to allow more freedom with the aperture) particularly on a shot such as this - with ISO 400 or 800 I think I could've got the barbed wire sharp. Paul.
Rod 01-Nov-2004 11:03
This does work well in B&W but I think the use of a smaller F-stop to get the barbed wire in focus as well as the wood may have given you a stronger shot. A good shot though, well done. I love black borders:-)