Sharpest Isn't Always Best

[Paul Gaecke]

Like many, I've spent an inordinate amount of time and money seeking out photographic products that were able to produce maximum sharpness. But when one sets out to produce an image pleasing to viewers, it isn't always the sharpest image that accomplishes that end.

Here are a couple of images that began as digital photographs that I took on a recent trip to France. One is obviously Paris; the other was exposed in the entry courtyard of a Roman winery in Provence. Both were fairly sharp in their original state. But after I accomplished what I desired using Photoshop, their initial sharpness wasn't too important an issue.

Here are the two images which I don't think rely too much on sharpness...





--
Paul Gaecke

--
Paul Gaecke

 

[JoePhoto]

I love the effect .. how bout a Step-By-Step Tutorial of how you did it ???

--
Thanks for reading .... JoePhoto

( Do You Ever STOP to THINK --- and FORGET to START Again ??? )

 

[Huckleberry]

Outstanding and creative! Why didn't I think of that? My wife was saying a few weeks ago when we watched the Ansel Adams special that she couldn't believe that MOST creativity in photography was done in the darkroom!

Like many, I've spent an inordinate amount of time and money
seeking out photographic products that were able to produce maximum
sharpness. But when one sets out to produce an image pleasing to
viewers, it isn't always the sharpest image that accomplishes that
end.

Here are a couple of images that began as digital photographs that
I took on a recent trip to France. One is obviously Paris; the
other was exposed in the entry courtyard of a Roman winery in
Provence. Both were fairly sharp in their original state. But after
I accomplished what I desired using Photoshop, their initial
sharpness wasn't too important an issue.

Here are the two images which I don't think rely too much on
sharpness...





--
Paul Gaecke

--
Paul Gaecke

--
Ron

 

[Maxven]

Very interesting pictures indeed! I wouldn't mind having one of them hanging on my wall. Like JoePhoto I'd like to know how you accomplished the effect. If you have the time to work us through the paces could you post one of the original unaltered images too?

Thanks, Maxven

I love the effect .. how bout a Step-By-Step Tutorial of how you
did it ???

--
Thanks for reading .... JoePhoto

( Do You Ever STOP to THINK --- and FORGET to START Again ??? )

 

[Rodger Carter]

One of the nice things about digital imaging is that photos that would ordinarily be discarded because of improper focus, etc. can often become quite excellent when a filter is applied. One of my faorite programs is the very simple MS Photo Editor program. The Water Color filter and Edge filter can make attractive images out of most throwaways.

Rodger

 

[Cassandra59044]

Beautiful images Paul! I too would love to know how you created them.

Here is some of my own work along a similar vein: http://www.photoaccess.com/share/guest.jsp?ID=A6B53132DBA&cb=PA

Cassandra

Paul Gaecke

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

 

[BillDrew]

Outstanding and creative! Why didn't I think of that? My wife was
saying a few weeks ago when we watched the Ansel Adams special that
she couldn't believe that MOST creativity in photography was done
in the darkroom!

Most of the work is done in the darkroom, but Ansel had that work pretty much planned when he clicked the shutter. That is what the Zone System is all about.

 

[Paul Gaecke]

I'm a long, long way from mastering even a portion of Photoshop's capabilities. At this point I'm either experimenting with the standard PS filters or "doing it by the numbers" with techniques developed or suggested by others.

In the case of the scene of Notre Dame and the painter, that was simply a combination of the standard PS Paint Daub and Sponge filters after lightening up the image a bit in Levels. I then applied a border with the PS Layer Styles.

The image of the winery courtyard was a lot more work. In that case, after working for a bit using PS to "eliminate" the building behind the pretty vineyard wall, I followed a tutorial that was posted here on one of our forums. The link to that tutorial is...

http://www.davrodigital.co.uk/tutorials/haye-island-cafe/hayes-island-cafe.htm

So you can see what I started with, here's a low res copy of the original image of the Roman winery courtyard which was taken in the south of France.

 

[Paul Gaecke]

Most of the work is done in the darkroom, but Ansel had that work
pretty much planned when he clicked the shutter.

That's quite true. I know a photographer that early in his career served as Adams' "equipment carrier". He described the typical shoot as him lugging Adams' heavy 8x10 camera and wooden tripod up the side of a mountain somewhere where Adams' knew exactly what scene he wanted to capture. There would then be a long wait, and frequent checks with a light meter, until the lighting was exactly what Adams desired. Then there would be two exposures, no more no less. One was for printing, the other just in case the first was scratched in developing. Once a negative was successfully produced, the second was destroyed.

Having described the process for Adams' exposing of the film, my friend also explained that each and every one of Adams' negatives has extensive instructions for its printing. Not only the type of paper, exposure settings and chemical mix for print developing, but even more extensive instructions for burning and dodging various parts of the negative. The time and even the tool to be used to burn or dodge has been specified.

So you're right. It all begins with the Zone System. But there was a whole lot of work done in the darkroom to produce Adams' magnificent prints.

 

[Maxven]

Thanks Paul!

Whether it's an original technique or something acquired through others isn't important to me. The end result is, and nobody but yourself can take credit for that. I'm very fond of the Southern France scenery myself. I have family there and the beauty always berifts me.

I read about your friend's experience with Adams. Very interesting reading, and again thanks for sharing!

Regards, Maxven

I'm a long, long way from mastering even a portion of Photoshop's
capabilities. At this point I'm either experimenting with the
standard PS filters or "doing it by the numbers" with techniques
developed or suggested by others.

In the case of the scene of Notre Dame and the painter, that was
simply a combination of the standard PS Paint Daub and Sponge
filters after lightening up the image a bit in Levels. I then
applied a border with the PS Layer Styles.

The image of the winery courtyard was a lot more work. In that
case, after working for a bit using PS to "eliminate" the building
behind the pretty vineyard wall, I followed a tutorial that was
posted here on one of our forums. The link to that tutorial is...

http://www.davrodigital.co.uk/tutorials/haye-island-cafe/hayes-island-cafe.htm

So you can see what I started with, here's a low res copy of the
original image of the Roman winery courtyard which was taken in the
south of France.

 

[gLeckenby]

Fine examples of your work. It's more interesting to see how you interperate your world than how the engineers in some factory do. Never the less starting with a sharp image still gives you the greatest degree of artistic freedom. But I agree with your point.

Like many, I've spent an inordinate amount of time and money
seeking out photographic products that were able to produce maximum
sharpness. But when one sets out to produce an image pleasing to
viewers, it isn't always the sharpest image that accomplishes that
end.

Here are a couple of images that began as digital photographs that
I took on a recent trip to France. One is obviously Paris; the
other was exposed in the entry courtyard of a Roman winery in
Provence. Both were fairly sharp in their original state. But after
I accomplished what I desired using Photoshop, their initial
sharpness wasn't too important an issue.

Here are the two images which I don't think rely too much on
sharpness...





--
Paul Gaecke

--
Paul Gaecke

 

[gLeckenby]

Beautifull work Cassandra. Now we are seeing "straight up and down like old folks" photos turned into beautifull individual works of art.

Beautiful images Paul! I too would love to know how you created them.

Here is some of my own work along a similar vein:
http://www.photoaccess.com/share/guest.jsp?ID=A6B53132DBA&cb=PA

Cassandra

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

 

[Cassandra59044]

Thank you! blushes

Cassandra

Beautifull work Cassandra. Now we are seeing "straight up and down
like old folks" photos turned into beautifull individual works of
art.

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

 

[Brian D. Schneider]

Like many, I've spent an inordinate amount of time and money
seeking out photographic products that were able to produce maximum
sharpness. But when one sets out to produce an image pleasing to
viewers, it isn't always the sharpest image that accomplishes that
end.

Here are a couple of images that began as digital photographs that
I took on a recent trip to France. One is obviously Paris; the
other was exposed in the entry courtyard of a Roman winery in
Provence. Both were fairly sharp in their original state. But after
I accomplished what I desired using Photoshop, their initial
sharpness wasn't too important an issue.

Here are the two images which I don't think rely too much on
sharpness...





--
Paul Gaecke

--
Paul Gaecke

--

You are absolutly right, they are beautiful pictures. Your'e not just shooting blindly with a webcam you have talent.

 

[wmcdowell]

as it seems that the sharper a photo is the less like reality it becomes.

as i look around the room that i am in i do not see near as sharp as most camera lenses do. and yes, i have good eye sight and don't wear glasses.

i think the sharpness thing is a lot of marketing and ad agency hype.

so why is it everyone chases the sharper image?

w.

 

[Gene Horodecki]

I have no clue... I've been wondering that since I've been addicted to these forums.

as it seems that the sharper a photo is the less like reality it
becomes.

as i look around the room that i am in i do not see near as sharp
as most camera lenses do. and yes, i have good eye sight and don't
wear glasses.

i think the sharpness thing is a lot of marketing and ad agency hype.

so why is it everyone chases the sharper image?

w.

 

[wmcdowell]

from the camera makers for the marketing for lenses these forums do.

i remember not so long ago on the canon forum when the d60 was announced and it seems most everyone just freaked they just have to have it because they would get sharper images then their d30 were giving them.

i then started to pay attention more to the way that i actually saw the world around me and noticed how little detail i see. the only real focus from the eye is a very small area just where we are focused, everything else just isn't there.
so it seems to me the sharper an image becomes the more abstract it is.

oh well, the market marches on.

w.

 

[WODIN]

Indeed, very arty. Both are excellent. Can see them as magazine covers or posters. Sharpness has its place, as do special effects.
-
Geo Paris/FR