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Submitted: July 31, 2009
Image Size: 155 KB
Resolution: 1440×900

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Floating with the starsby *kayaksailor

Customization / Wallpaper / Animals & Plants

Since my first photo of these swans and the Palace of Fine Art building in San Francisco was so warmly received I thought I'd make a wallpaper of another shot... and yes, this one is a bit of a manipulation - I added the swan on the right.

Here's the first one:

Critique by !Dementian Mar 6, 2011, 9:27:30 AM

Well my friend... you've tried to do something very foolish but very honorable.
Capturing water in black.
I give you kudos because this is nearly impossible to do without an adequate light source...

Here's the deal: Water depends entirely upon light in order for it to be shown. Trying to capture it at night is nearly impossible without having some type of light source (wether it be from a house, the moon, or in this case the pavilion). Now, you've gotten the right idea by letting your flash hit the geese, because their image will show in the water and help define it... but observe how they don't seem to do the water justice? Even the golden glow off of the monument (while it does give it depth) doesn't fully show the waters face. There are ups and downs to this picture... the fact that we can't see any defining shapes besides the geese and the pavilion makes you forget that it's water... except that I know it's water.

The vision in this picture was excellent. Very classic, and chic. The architecture is very stylish, and the geese just amplify that. It's also original, and the impact is very quiet and gentile.

Just gotta work on that water, mate. Besides that? You did a damn good job.

What do you think?

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~chalutplease Aug 20, 2009

Very nicely done.

Since everyone is giving their opinion let me add mine and hope you take it with a hefty dose of salt. I like the off center but think the building is too far to the left and while I like the swan on the right I'd like to reach out and crank down his brightness until it matches the closest guy on the left. All of this assumes that the actual focus is the building of course and the geese just lead you there.

*kayaksailor Aug 20, 2009

LOL, ooo that's salty!

but thanks for the thoughts!

I understand what you're saying an in rebuttal I say...My favorite shot is the one with the three in the reflection, and this was my second fav...I like making wallpapers and thought it would work well. I realize that everyone has their own placement of stuff on their desktop and so
I created this with my own screen in mind - I tend to keep my icons on the right side with the occational move to the left when I find a wallpaper that competes on the right...I agree with you on where the building is and if I were to make this for a print I would move it more centered!

As far as the tone of the right swan - he is closer and therefore got more flash, and again if I were to do this for a photo I'd tone him down a smidge, but it isn't too bad on my screen.

I didn't really have a central point of focus in mind, this did just sort of "come to me"

so I guess you're right on the point of the swans is to lead you to the building, but...

...I've been amused at the differences of oppinions on these two shots, but that's what makes dA so much fun

~chalutplease Aug 20, 2009

I don't usually add an opinion unless it's asked for but I felt you'd take this in the right way...and you did!

and since you commented about liking to see all the different opinions I figured I might as well throw my towel into the ring! I don't know anything about wallpapers and I don't keep anything on my desktop, per my husband's rules, and since he's the one that does the upkeep on them I don't mind at all.

*kayaksailor Aug 20, 2009

my hubby's the opposite...he's got tons of icons on our desktops - even on my own personal laptop...oh well, it really doesn't matter

the wallpaper is just a slightly different shape than an 8x10 or whatever - esspeically mine...I've got a 'widescreen' approx 10"x17"...

~zasu Aug 10, 2009

offbalance IS the way to go - photos aren't supposed to have the main object smack dab in the middle. well, except when you're breaking that rule on purpose

looks good to me, and obviously would work perfectly as a wallpaper

*kayaksailor Aug 10, 2009

LOL, I liked it! I tend to try to take the comments with a grain of salt

*goldenSalamander Aug 4, 2009 Professional Traditional Artist

I'm not entirely sure it's actually off balance. Though the swan is small and there is an intense black space above him, he is bright and the contrast with the black and even the orangy colors gives him more weight then just his size. The museum could be a tad more to the right, but not a lot. I like the arrangement of swans. It all has rhythm.

*kayaksailor Aug 4, 2009

Thanks, Sandi, for the input...I was waffling on where to put the main image...It's kind of hard to determine when you're making a wallpaper for all the different sizes of screens! I will remember your words when I go to print this

I was pleased, too, with the flow of the birds - it's been interesting to read the different reactions between these two photos; some really love one over the other and to me they're not THAT much different

*goldenSalamander Aug 5, 2009 Professional Traditional Artist

oops, you know, I was forgetting about the different size screens, I suspect that you can't create the perfect setup for all screen sizes....

*kayaksailor Aug 5, 2009

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