critical hats on please for new B&W gallery

David Dodd · Feb 10, 2002

Hee, hee. Well, the check's in the mail. ;-)

Yes, I do like the Stevie photo. I must admit, part of the reason I like it is probably because I know how much Stevie means to you. But the emotional element of a photo counts as much as other technical issues, right? But in a technical sense, I really do like the dark ring the shore forms around the lake. It's very appealing to me. I suppose ideally I'd like to see more detail and variations of gray in the near shore, but to get that I think we're talking about a medium format film camera.

David

liza wallis · Feb 10, 2002

Hi Larry...

Larry Emond said:
Liza,
NO!, high contrast is not always necessary. We are too used to
seeing journalistic style of B&W photos that have "punch" in
magazines. Everything in our culture speaks of brashness with
glitzy neon sighns etc.etc.

Well I certainly agree with you about this. But it has been very helpful and interesting to me to hear people's feedback. What I have concluded is that some people really want the high contrast and other people want the mood, and a few people like both contrast and mood!

Larry Emnd said:
I did not have time to look aat all your photos, but from what I
saw and the moods that I think you are trying to convey, I would
say that getting nice even greys is every bit as important. Photos
with punch are not meant to be subtle; Your photos are! To me,
they convey a dreamy, philosophical and nostalgic mood. While
browising in a antique book store recently, I came across a book of
photos taken in the early 1900's of the grounds around the
childhood home of Frederick Chopin. They are wonderful in that
they in cepia tone are impressionistic in style and none have
anything close to 100% saturation. They make you want to come back
to look and just dream. I find this difficult to articulate, but
I guess that photos don't always have to make a bold statement, but
rather maybe just invite the viewer to take a quiet moment and
meditate.

Actually you articulated it quite well I think... While I haven't seen the book you are describing (it sounds wonderful), it seems you are describing a certain "muzziness" to the photos that convey a mood of the times. I aspire to conveying that sort of mood.

Larry Emnd said:
Now for the real critique: As I said, I didn't have time to look
al all of them, but I must compliment you for your eye for
composition. Very nice. The only dritical comments are on the
infra-red. They appear to be very noisy, especially the skies.

I agree... it is a real problem with my Infra reds that I don't see with other peoples. I also did not spend the sort of time I should have on some of them to get noise out.

Larry Emnd said:
Perhaps you should have run these through a noise reduction filter
program such as Neat Image first.

I don't love neat image. I try to hand remove the noise which is perhaps the reason that I didn't do it on more of my photos!

Larry Emnd said:
The last image "yearning" could
have been composed a little better in that you chopped off the feet
of the poor animal. (something I've done many a time myself ).

Actually, her feet were in the original, but the original was tilted so I had to choose between feet and a tilted image, or no feet and a straight image! I guess I chose wrong!

Larry Emnd said:
Anyhow, you have given me some inspiration to go back to my photos
and see what can be done to some of them in B&W.

Oh good... I am always interested in seeing other people's B&W shots. Let us know when you have some posted

Larry Emnd said:
Thanks for the pictures.

Thank you for the thoughtful comments... they were much appreciated.
liza

Larry Emnd said:
Larry Emond

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

liza wallis · Feb 10, 2002

David Dodd said:
Hee, hee. Well, the check's in the mail. ;-)

Yes, I do like the Stevie photo. I must admit, part of the reason
I like it is probably because I know how much Stevie means to you.

Well... you've got that quite right.

David Dodd said:
But the emotional element of a photo counts as much as other
technical issues, right? But in a technical sense, I really do
like the dark ring the shore forms around the lake. It's very
appealing to me. I suppose ideally I'd like to see more detail and
variations of gray in the near shore, but to get that I think we're
talking about a medium format film camera.

Oh geez... here we go again... I am going to have to hand over my entire paycheck to this ridiculous hobby of mine. There is no end in sight when one makes one's goal the quest for the perfect photo.

So when will we see medium format digitals?

David Dodd said:
David

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

Tisya · Feb 10, 2002

Hi Liza! I like each and everyone! You did a great job!
The triplets, is that a PS trick or the dogs were really posed like that?
If it is not PS a trick can I asked you a favor? Let me know. -Tisya

Cassandra59044 · Feb 10, 2002

Liza I couldn't even choose one favorite. I love the barn shots, the fence shots, the ones of the harvest equipment and the three dogs. (How did you get them to pose like that?!) When I first started in photography I worked mainly in b&w, doing my own film developing and printing and spending hours on end in my darkroom. Your images brought back old memories. Thanks for sharing them!

Cassandra

-- http://welcome.to/cassandras-galleryhttp://www.pbase.com/fuji6900

liza wallis · Feb 10, 2002

Tisya said:
Hi Liza! I like each and everyone! You did a great job!
The triplets, is that a PS trick or the dogs were really posed like
that?
If it is not PS a trick can I asked you a favor? Let me know. -Tisya

Hi Tisya...

Thanks for the great reply... after an reply like this you can ask me any favor you want, because no, this was not a PS trick... the dogs were sitting just like that. Honest. All I did was remove the color.

Ask away....
liza

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

liza wallis · Feb 10, 2002

Cassandra USA 6900z said:
Liza I couldn't even choose one favorite. I love the barn shots,
the fence shots, the ones of the harvest equipment and the three
dogs. (How did you get them to pose like that?!) When I first
started in photography I worked mainly in b&w, doing my own film
developing and printing and spending hours on end in my darkroom.
Your images brought back old memories. Thanks for sharing them!

Hi Cassandra... thank you thank you. I am really enjoying playing with the B&W. Unlike you I never shot in this format before but I have always loved Black and White's ability to convey moods in a different way than color. I am envious of your history steeped in real dark room work. I have no such experience and as I replied to someone else, I feel like I am missing something by not knowing these photographic roots.

I can't take credit for getting the dogs to pose like that. I was on a hike with a friend and I was busy shooting everything in site as usual and my friend was busy getting the dogs to behave. I came around a corner and saw them all sitting there like the perfect angels they aren't. I had my B300 telephoto lens on the camera and I just snapped away. They stayed like that for a good long time. Amazing really. But... Since I photographed that dog calendar last year I too have gotten pretty good at getting dogs to sit at attention... there are a few that elude me, but most of them with some persistance on my part will eventually sit still!

Thanks again for your nice comments

liza

Cassandra59044 said:
Cassandra

--
http://welcome.to/cassandras-gallery
http://www.pbase.com/fuji6900

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

Masha · Feb 11, 2002

©azil said:
liza wallis said:

There are so many that I liked, I hope I can remember the names.
Let's see: fence shadow, Stevie (at the lake),

Click to expand...

really? You liked that one... you didn't think it was too dark? I
am very ambivalent on that one. I want to love it because of
course it is a perfect profile of my baby, but I am just not sure I
like the rest of it enough

Hi Liza, this is a special gallery! Each and everyone picture is at least just perfect. I love the Stevie-at-the-lake too, and I think namely because it is so dark. The lake stands out from the black frame of shore, and the still water is so much emphasized, as if it were a picture in itself. The darkness of dog both unites him with the shore and again makes accent on the water, and the dog's pose makes you feel being him a little bit.

Some other shots are just breathtaking, as tree shadows across the slope. Fence shadow and field too. The barn is very elaborate, it looks like sort of a royal in exile...

Thank you for enjoyment!

Masha

liza wallis · Feb 11, 2002

Hello Masha...

Masha said:
Hi Liza, this is a special gallery! Each and everyone picture is at
least just perfect. I love the Stevie-at-the-lake too, and I think
namely because it is so dark. The lake stands out from the black
frame of shore, and the still water is so much emphasized, as if it
were a picture in itself. The darkness of dog both unites him with
the shore and again makes accent on the water, and the dog's pose
makes you feel being him a little bit.

What a nice way of putting it Masha... I like that "I feel being him a little bit" Maybe that is why I like the profile so. Hmmm. To hear you describe it, it sounds like such a regal photo. Thank you.

Masha said:
Some other shots are just breathtaking, as tree shadows across the
slope. Fence shadow and field too. The barn is very elaborate, it
looks like sort of a royal in exile...

ha ha... that poor barn does not seem to have long to live. Every winter I walk past it. more of it has caved in. Some day I expect to walk by and just see a pile of old board and nails!

Masha said:
Thank you for enjoyment!

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments. I do much appreciate them.
liza

Masha said:
Masha

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

Lynn C · Feb 11, 2002

Liza

Just got a chance to look at your gallery. I am amazed that these are all post-production B&W pics. I really find that you captured the contrast well. With so many posts, I am sure this has been said before, (haven't had time to read them all) but I think contrast is the key to pleasing B&W pics. Somehow you manage to capture the sunshine, even in B&W. My favorite are the fence pics.

Also you give me hope with my 4900 which has no B&W camera capabilities. Something else for me to try and find time to do!

But of course I have to say something about the dogs - you could probably quit your day job and be a professional dog photographer. (There's one who put a card up at the Rowayton dog park.) You just seem to have a way with the animals. I keep expecting you to say you cut out several dog pictures and made a composite. I really think you have a great talent and future in this area. Something to think about . . .

Lynn C

liza wallis said:
Hi Cassandra... thank you thank you. I am really enjoying playing
with the B&W. Unlike you I never shot in this format before but I
have always loved Black and White's ability to convey moods in a
different way than color. I am envious of your history steeped in
real dark room work. I have no such experience and as I replied to
someone else, I feel like I am missing something by not knowing
these photographic roots.

I can't take credit for getting the dogs to pose like that. I was
on a hike with a friend and I was busy shooting everything in site
as usual and my friend was busy getting the dogs to behave. I came
around a corner and saw them all sitting there like the perfect
angels they aren't. I had my B300 telephoto lens on the camera and
I just snapped away. They stayed like that for a good long time.
Amazing really. But... Since I photographed that dog calendar
last year I too have gotten pretty good at getting dogs to sit at
attention... there are a few that elude me, but most of them with
some persistance on my part will eventually sit still!

Thanks again for your nice comments

liza

liza wallis said:

Cassandra

--
http://welcome.to/cassandras-gallery
http://www.pbase.com/fuji6900

Click to expand...

--
http://www.lizawallis.com
http://www.lizawallis.com/photography

liza wallis · Feb 11, 2002

Lynn C said:
Liza
Just got a chance to look at your gallery. I am amazed that these
are all post-production B&W pics. I really find that you captured
the contrast well. With so many posts, I am sure this has been said
before, (haven't had time to read them all) but I think contrast is
the key to pleasing B&W pics. Somehow you manage to capture the
sunshine, even in B&W. My favorite are the fence pics.

Hi Lynn... yeah... contrast has been mentioned as a key to the B&W but there is also some debate about it. Some people made very interesting points about the validity of less contrast working well took

Lynn C said:
Also you give me hope with my 4900 which has no B&W camera
capabilities. Something else for me to try and find time to do!

Absolutely... I have a grand old time finding photos that I think will work well in BW. Then I have just as much fun picking the best method for doing the conversion. I am finding that different photos benefit from different ways of handling the conversion.

Lynn C said:
But of course I have to say something about the dogs - you could
probably quit your day job and be a professional dog photographer.
(There's one who put a card up at the Rowayton dog park.) You just
seem to have a way with the animals. I keep expecting you to say
you cut out several dog pictures and made a composite. I really
think you have a great talent and future in this area. Something to
think about . . .

Lynn... thank you so much. Believe me, I fantasize daily, hourly, about giving up my day job and just shooting pets for a living. I am most at peace when I am doing this. I am glad you like the results.

take care, and thank you...
liza

Lynn C said:
Lynn C

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

Lynn C · Feb 11, 2002

Liza
Just sent you an e-mail.
Lynn

SteveH · Feb 11, 2002

©azil said:
I have just uploaded a new gallery of Black and White photos. If a
few of these look familiar it's because I have posted them here
before. Most of them are new.

I was hoping to get some solid constructive criticism of these.

Hi Liza,

B&W is where it, and many of us, all started. Fascinating that despite the glory of full colour B&W is still so appealing and expressive. Maybe some day somebody will figure out why.

You put together an interesting gallery, I particularly like the power of 'Fence shadow', and dog pictures are always winners.

Since I admire your work and know that you are interested in the technical aspects too (because of you I bought one of those pocket bouncers) can I be cheeky and say I would appreciate your thoughts on the following thread I started in the Samples and Galleries forum:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1005&message=2192383

Thanks in anticipation--SteveZurich, SwitzerlandFuji 4900Z & Fuji MX-2700www.pbase.com/steveh

Bill Brosen · Feb 11, 2002

Awesome!-- http://www.pbase.com/wbrosen/photoart

eric_j_h · Feb 11, 2002

Jeez, you've been busy......

Well, it's a very good album, but for me the ones that work the best (and the type of B&W shots I like) are the ones that have a high contrast level, and/or are graphic in nature. The one of the tower, fence shadow, inside barn, and horse farm are the initial stand-outs IMHO. Farm retouch, evergreens, white tree and field don't really work for me, they are a bit "samey", whereas the ones I mentioned earlier have some definate thought to them and create an atmosphere. I enjoyed looking at them all though, and I hope haven't offended you.

Margaret Harrington · Feb 11, 2002

©azil said:
I have just uploaded a new gallery of Black and White photos. If a
few of these look familiar it's because I have posted them here
before. Most of them are new.

I was hoping to get some solid constructive criticism of these. I
realize there are a lot of photos here and I don't expect you to
look at every one. But of those that you do look at it would
really help me if you could give specific feedback.

As for methods used... One of the photos was shot with a hoya
infrared filter. All the others were shot in color and then
converted in photoshop in the post processing. I heavily relied on
the channel mixer and also "glick efx" Infrared photoshop filter.
I did use Fred Miranda's Infrared action on one or two. Some of
them were also converted to duotones if I thought the B&W effect
needed a little extra punch.

Thanks in advance for looking...
the whole gallery can be found at:
http://www.lizawallis.com/BW
liza
and here is one image to get you started:

--
http://www.lizawallis.com
http://www.lizawallis.com/photography

Lovely moody photographs Liza. I am not in a position to criticise as I am just a learner.

--Margaret

liza wallis · Feb 11, 2002

SteveH said:
Hi Liza,
B&W is where it, and many of us, all started. Fascinating that
despite the glory of full colour B&W is still so appealing and
expressive. Maybe some day somebody will figure out why.
You put together an interesting gallery, I particularly like the
power of 'Fence shadow', and dog pictures are always winners.
Since I admire your work and know that you are interested in the
technical aspects too (because of you I bought one of those pocket
bouncers) can I be cheeky and say I would appreciate your thoughts
on the following thread I started in the Samples and Galleries

Of course you can be cheeky! I would love to head over there right now and have a look and post a reply. By the way Steve, how do you like the pocket bouncer?
See you in the samples and gallery forum...
liza

SteveH said:
forum:
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1005&message=2192383
Thanks in anticipation
--
Steve
Zurich, Switzerland
Fuji 4900Z & Fuji MX-2700
http://www.pbase.com/steveh

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

liza wallis · Feb 11, 2002

Bill Brosen said:
Awesome!
--

Thank you!--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

liza wallis · Feb 11, 2002

Hideho! said:
Jeez, you've been busy......

ha ha ha ha... I guess you are right about that!

eric_j_h said:
Well, it's a very good album, but for me the ones that work the
best (and the type of B&W shots I like) are the ones that have a
high contrast level, and/or are graphic in nature. The one of the
tower, fence shadow, inside barn, and horse farm are the initial
stand-outs IMHO. Farm retouch, evergreens, white tree and field
don't really work for me, they are a bit "samey", whereas the ones
I mentioned earlier have some definate thought to them and create
an atmosphere. I enjoyed looking at them all though, and I hope
haven't offended you.

Thank you for your comments... no you have absolutely not offended me in the slightest. I really meant it when I said I wanted honest and constructive criticism. I absoltuely appreciate that took the time to look at them and post back with your opinions. Interesting that you chose the tower... I think you are the first person to comment on it.

Thanks again...
liza

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

liza wallis · Feb 11, 2002

Margaret Harrington said:
Lovely moody photographs Liza. I am not in a position to criticise
as I am just a learner.

You know Margaret I appreciate your kind words, but I would also have to say that you are certainly in a position to comment... everyone has something valid to contribute whether they are new to digital photography or seasoned veterans!

Thank you
liza

Member said:
--
Margaret

--www.lizawallis.comwww.lizawallis.com/photography

critical hats on please for new B&W gallery

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