White Rock Bay
Uploaded: April 21, 2013 21:37:08
1/320 Sec - f/2.8 - ISO 250 - 100mm
Canon 5D Mk III - Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
Exif: F Number: 2.8, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/320 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 250, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 100.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Jeff E Jensen April 21, 2013
Haven't shot anything new for a bit, so I reworked a few images this evening for fun. Gave the new Nik Suite a test drive.By the way, these are both places that we'll be visiting in June. #1525024
Stephen Shoff April 21, 2013
Impressive. Looks like my kind of place.Which tool did you use for the B&W conversion? How'd you like it?
How did you shoot it to exaggerate the lily pads? High perspective or low? Did you use a forward tilt of the camera?
The long vertical reflection along the lower right border seems distracting, its a bit out of character for the rest of the reflections. That edge could be cropped out
#10662603
Kalena Randall April 22, 2013
These are beautiful places, Jeff. Wish I could come in June.Stephen, I have the full NIK suite now, but originally I had just Silver Efx Pro and HDR Pro. I like them. Arthur is another one of our member that uses some of the NIK software. I know he could give you a pretty good background on them.
I don't use any of them to the extent they can be used., but I do like them. They have sliders and control points.
The control points let you pin point areas for enhancement.
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Jeff E Jensen April 22, 2013
Thanks, Stephen and Kalena!This was last summer, June 16th to be exact (should be similar conditions while we are there this year), so I can't remember for sure, but based on the amount of water in the scene, I'd say high perspective (a lower perspective would have caused the water to appear more compressed).
I used HDR Pro to bring out some detail in the image (the original is a bit flat), and then Silver Efx Pro for the conversion. I finished with some tweaks in Lightroom. I haven't played with the Nik stuff much, so I know that there's a lot to learn still.
Here's a modified crop, removing the vertical reflection on the right. #10662877
Jeff E Jensen April 22, 2013
And, just for comparison, here's the original file, SOC with no adjustments.Also, turns out this is not Teapot Lake. If you look at it on Google Maps, you will see that Teapot Lake is just to the west of Lilly Lake. Between and a little to the north of them is this small lake. Google doesn't show a name for this lake, so I found the USGS map and there's no name there either. There are hundreds of small lakes like this in the area and a lot of the smaller ones never got names (at least that showed up on the maps). I'm really excited to spend the day here with y'all. It's hands down one of my favorite places to be. #10662891
Dale Hardin April 22, 2013
Very nice work on the conversion Jeff. You had a very good quality image to start off with and that really made a difference.Reflections are one case where a center weighted composition works well. Have you tried it with this shot? I think it would offer a pleasing balance. #10663099
Arthur Bohlmann April 22, 2013
Awsome image..I like all that you have posted but my favorite are the B&W versions. Nice comp & detail #10663126Debbra Bailey April 22, 2013
AGHRRR - so wishing I was meeting up with you all for this trip! Hating sitting this one out!!! Especially when you dangle amazing locations!This is gorgeous Jeff. I do like the second crop, but I was OK with the first one. The reflection did not bother me. I think it is cool that there are so many clouds, it took me a few sec. to even notice there was a mountain hiding back there! Love the BW :) #10663483
Elaine Hessler April 22, 2013
Really gorgeous. And thanks for posting the original. I am amazed what you can do with the software. Did you use that special wide angle lens? Can't remember the name of it, but it didn't distort. #10663493Jeff E Jensen April 22, 2013
Thanks, everyone!Dale - I agree with you on the center weight, but in this case I didn't like it so much because it causes the top right corner to be cloud-less and feels a bit wonky.
Deb - I can keep posting images until you change your mind :o)
This was shot with the Canon 17-40 f/4.0L lens. Nothing fancy about it, but it is a great lens. The fact that there aren't any strong vertical lines helps keep the distortion down. #10663506
Jeff E Jensen April 22, 2013
Here's another spot we'll visit. #10663645Stephen Shoff April 22, 2013
I prefer the crop.Kalena, I've had and used SilverEfex Pro for awhile now but just upgraded to the full suite. I took Rob Sheppard's B&W course on BP. He covers a lot of the the NIK plugin controls. But I haven't started investigating some of the new plugins I've just received. I use Photomatix for HDR.
So Jeff, you know Dale's response to that...just move that corner of clouds down a bit. #10663812
Dale Hardin April 22, 2013
Hey Jeff, just move that corner of clouds down a bit. :o) #10663821Elaine Hessler April 23, 2013
Ok. Is anyone going to be willing to school me on landscape photography out there during our trip? :) #10663968Beth Spencer April 23, 2013
Awesome shot and I cannot wait to be able to see it in real! There are lots of free tutorials and videos and live webinars on the website for Nik software. #10664086Michael Kelly April 23, 2013
Beautiful shots Jeff and the B&W conversions worked very well. Normally I prefer color, but I do like the B&W better here. Looks like a great place to go see on our trip - can't wait.Elaine we all help each other - I am sure you will have many things to offer to. One of the nice things about these get togethers is that you learn from each other. No one can know it all and I am always surprised at the things I glean from our group. Much better than a class. #10664335
Elaine Hessler April 23, 2013
That sounds great, cause right now I don't feel like I have a lot to offer. The more I learn from you all, the less I realize I know. This experience of "growing" with you guys has been very humbling, but in a good way. I still can't believe how much I've learned since last summer-so much more than I've learned in the recent classes I've taken. I really can't wait to meet all of you-this is going to be so much fun! #10664445Jeff E Jensen April 23, 2013
Don't sell yourself short, Elaine. We all have something to learn.Can't believe the trip is right around the corner. gonna be fun! #10664541
Beth Spencer April 23, 2013
Elaine,I am constantly learning something from this group,just think how far you have come!! #10664870Rita K. Connell April 23, 2013
jeff theses are amazing shots. your edit looks good, White Rock Bay is really a great shot also. I am so looking forward to getting to see it....yea!!!Elaine when I joined this group I didn't even know what a different layer meant...the only thing I knew how to do is hit the auto button, now I have duck tape over them so I never hit them...LOL
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Peter W. Marks April 25, 2013
Debbra, let's just send pictures of our front yards to each other for the whole of June as you just know this bunch are going to inundate us with images of their trip to make us envious.Jeff E Jensen April 25, 2013
Pete - one of these years we are going to get you out with us. #10666906Nancy Marie Ricketts May 27, 2013
Congratulations on your superb finalist, and good luck in the next round! #10710552Dale Hardin May 27, 2013
A big congrats Jeff, on this fine rendition. #10710760Chris Budny May 28, 2013
Congratulations, Jeff! Nice B/W's you've got going this month. #10711652Beth Spencer May 29, 2013
Congratulations Jeff!!! #10714192Michael Kelly May 29, 2013
A big congratulations on these two fine shots. #10714439Merna L. Nobile June 01, 2013
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