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UER Forum > UE Photo Critiques > Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee (Viewed 3202 times)
Piecat 


Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Gender: Male
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Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< on 6/21/2015 4:37 PM >
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Hey all! It's been a while since I've explored or posted anything, but now that it's summer I finally have time!

Yesterday I took a trip to Hynite Fertilizer in Milwaukee, unfortunately all that is left are large gravel piles. I also visited Solvay Coke in Milwaukee, which is where most of these pictures are from.

These pictures were taken on a Cannon Rebel T5i with my 18-55mm lens, and are slightly photoshoped. Unfortunately, I forgot my tripod at home, so I couldn't take any bracket shots. Tell me what you think!


[1]


[2]


[3]

I think this is my favorite one, but I really wish I had brought a tripod.


[4]


[5]

This one is kind of heavier on the filters than I usually like, but I was trying to make it look like the album art from The Black Key's album "El Camino", and single "Lonely Boy".


The imgur album can be found here: http://imgur.com/a/YTJbP#0



[last edit 6/21/2015 4:39 PM by Piecat - edited 1 times]

enirus 


Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 1 on 6/21/2015 5:18 PM >
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I really like 3 and 4, did you need the tripod to keep the camera level?




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Piecat 


Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 2 on 6/21/2015 5:51 PM >
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I wanted the tripod so I could take steadier shots in the dark areas, and also because I really like bracketing shots.

In #3, it's a little blurred. You can't really on the prints I made, or unless you zoom in, but I notice it.



[last edit 6/21/2015 5:52 PM by Piecat - edited 1 times]

flySparro 


Location: Alberta, Canada
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And therein, as the bard would tell us, lies the rub.

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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 3 on 6/23/2015 5:06 PM >
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No. 1 is probably the least interesting, IMO, but they all show an eye for light, angles and composition. Do something crazier with 1 to make it even cooler. The overcast sky wasn't helping your situation, haha.

Try shooting raw and play with the levels in post rather than bracketing - you can get the same results without the HDR look.

Also drop the dead weight of a tripod unless you need it (like I did for this shot). Use an available platform, wall or area of ground to stabilize instead. Sit down and use your knees, etc.

Hope that helps!




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Piecat 


Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 97 likes




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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 4 on 6/23/2015 10:05 PM >
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Posted by flySparro
No. 1 is probably the least interesting, IMO, but they all show an eye for light, angles and composition. Do something crazier with 1 to make it even cooler. The overcast sky wasn't helping your situation, haha.

Try shooting raw and play with the levels in post rather than bracketing - you can get the same results without the HDR look.

Also drop the dead weight of a tripod unless you need it (like I did for this shot). Use an available platform, wall or area of ground to stabilize instead. Sit down and use your knees, etc.

Hope that helps!


Thanks for the input

None of these shots weren't bracketed, actually I took them in RAW and changed the levels in PS.

As for my composition, I always feel like it is my limiting factor. Any ideas on how I could improve it?



[last edit 6/23/2015 10:55 PM by Piecat - edited 1 times]

flySparro 


Location: Alberta, Canada
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And therein, as the bard would tell us, lies the rub.

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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 5 on 6/24/2015 12:36 AM >
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Posted by Piecat
None of these shots weren't bracketed, actually I took them in RAW and changed the levels in PS.

As for my composition, I always feel like it is my limiting factor. Any ideas on how I could improve it?

Oh I know, you just mentioned the tripod for bracketing - IMO it's not really necessary for most things.

Composition is huge - for starters I'd say look at a subject (building/window/flower/doorway etc) and play around with where it's placed in your frame. Back up, get low, put it at the bottom, cut part of it off, just see what looks more interesting.

Without getting overly complicated, I'd say that's a good place to start. Yeah?




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Piecat 


Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 6 on 6/24/2015 4:56 AM >
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Gotcha.

Thank you for the advice




azuro1125 


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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 7 on 6/24/2015 2:44 PM >
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2 and 3 are my favs. I think you already have a good eye for composition and light use. Number 3 looked challenging to expose right, and you're post process workflow seems to be good. I can see how you were frustrated with number 3. I hate having a shot ruined by camera movement. I have an old Gitzo Studex medium format tripod that I drag to my car every trip, but I almost never use it. That ten pound monster would make a good self defense weapon though : )

All seriousness though, use the two second shutter delay, and like flysparrow said, use what's around you for support. The shutter delay is big for me, since I tend to get over excited at a composition and mash the shutter button like I'm playing a video game. That two seconds lets me keep my shot lined up, but eliminates most of the shake from camera movement.

Overall great shots though! Keep up the good work.

One last thing, I would have oversaturated the dozer pic at the end. the composition was good, but the subject matter and the overcast day was working against you. Punching up the yellow hue would have really made it jump out. But, that just my 2 bits. I tend to like overly bright colors, crappy HDR and other assorted clown vomit : )




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NotQuiteHuman 


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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 8 on 6/24/2015 5:27 PM >
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I'm just going to point this out because it's something I've paying more attention to recently in my photos. I've been trying to be more careful with perspective distortion, especially when using a wide angle with architecture. If you notice on [2] the camera was tilted upward which causes the vertical lines to distort inwards towards the top. There are a few ways to prevent this. You elevate the camera so it does not need to be tilted upward (best), you could use a special tilt shift lens to correct it optically (expensive), or there is a lens correction feature in photoshop (lose pixels & quality). Obviously this is a stylistic thing and it can be really interesting to break this rule, but in [2] I think it would make the photo calmer and easier to look at.




NotQuiteHuman 


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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 9 on 6/24/2015 5:48 PM >
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here is an example of perspective control before/after




Piecat 


Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 10 on 6/24/2015 9:16 PM >
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Posted by NotQuiteHuman
here is an example of perspective control before/after
https://cdn.photog...ective-Control.jpg[/eimg]


Gotcha. I've been told this before, but I never really knew what it meant. Those pictures really help to visualize it.

Thanks for the advice!




Piecat 


Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 11 on 6/26/2015 3:15 AM >
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Posted by azuro1125

One last thing, I would have oversaturated the dozer pic at the end. the composition was good, but the subject matter and the overcast day was working against you. Punching up the yellow hue would have really made it jump out. But, that just my 2 bits. I tend to like overly bright colors, crappy HDR and other assorted clown vomit : )


Like this?





azuro1125 


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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 12 on 6/30/2015 12:02 AM >
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Nice! That really brings out the rust on the dozer blade.




"I'm just not set up to mold hard rubber..."
flySparro 


Location: Alberta, Canada
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And therein, as the bard would tell us, lies the rub.

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Re: Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee
< Reply # 13 on 6/30/2015 12:10 AM >
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Posted by Piecat

Like this?

Looks good! Play around some more and see what else you can do to the image that you like. Careful when using that method that you don't over-saturate (trees/sky)!




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UER Forum > UE Photo Critiques > Hynite and Solvay Coke, Milwaukee (Viewed 3202 times)


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