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snader β I have a secret
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Published: 2004-09-15 13:09:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 1676; Favourites: 47; Downloads: 400
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Description
My approach to photography or rather manipulation of photos is that anything goes. I don't have any qualms when it comes to editing my shots in any way if I think it makes it better. I know there are people who likes a shot to be untouched and that if you can get a good shot without editing that is better in the sense that editing the shot somehow degrades it. I used to think that way too, but I realized it doesn't matter, only the end result matter. At least that is what I think.However I do belive that it is impossible to take a bad photo an edit it into a good one and equally impossible to make a great photo from just a good one. I can edit and manipulate all I want, if the original shot is not good, the result won't be good. I always know that when I edit a shot to much there is something wrong with it and I'm trying to edit it away.
This is one of those shots where I've gone way overboard with the editing and I think the reason is that the shot is simply not good enough. The fiery red colors and the dramatic sky add to the shot but can't make this shot good. I think the tree and the sea of grass is interesting but I know there is a better shot to be had. This simply has to do for know, because there's something about this that I like enough to submit it.
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Comments: 69
I agree with your comments very much. Still, I think this photo has some great qualities. Perhaps it is the composition that lets it down. What you have done with it certainly make it interesting, particuarly the sky stands out for me.
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this reminds me of "the secret garden"...i'm in my school's production of the show, so it's on my mind...but it does with the funny tree growing out of the top of it and such...nice picture!
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Well... particuarily(spelling) I really like this. Title combined with the piece itself make me think... make me ponder on it. To me... it's kinda like this secret has choked the life out of everything it's touched so far. It started out in a field of green... well hidden from all... but slowly and secretly it's sufficated all around it causing all kinds of horrible "not happy stuff" to happen. And then it itself has slowly begun to sneak secretly out from where it's hidden. Though, there's not much left to see it... it's beginning to make itself quite obvious to whoever will actually look now. But.. that is just my interpetation... I think even though there does seem to be a few things about the composition that are off... it draws enough curiousity and emotion from for me to still REALLY REALLY like it. I think I'm prolly gonna fav it even.
Composition wise... some of the grass/weeds closer by aren't really necessary. There is a seemingly uniform level to it until you get closer to where the viewer would be standing. And then they look mooshed down. Maybe getting down to be level with the grassy stuff? Like... as if you were setting the camera on the top of them... like they were a table... and taking the photo that way? It's worth a try at least, see what may come of it? Otherwise... everything seems ok about the shot. Maybe the sky needs tweaking a bit. Not sure though.
Overall good photo though. I like it. Sorry for the long comment... but, if someone is asking for an advanced critique... I like to give them something more than "hey cool pic yo!" Lol. Sorry.
~osiddian
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This is actually a quite personal shot and your interpretation is very close to how I see this shot.
The composition is not great, I agree with that. I actually had my camera on the tripod and the tripod in my raised arms just to get the height I wanted. I took a few tries to even get the tree in the shot!
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that's so much effort just to get a shot... sounds kinda rough, but it was for a good cause. im glad my interpetation was close to your own. good job though... maybe you'll retry it soon in the future? if not though, this one is great anyways.
~osiddian
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to my eyes this is dramaticly awesome!
like a version to "the burning bush" if you may...
it's a wow... yep.
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Well, if I told you it wouldn't be a secret would it
Thanks for the comments!
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The fiery sky looks great in this. When I first took a look it reminded me of "Children of corn" or whatever the name was. The branches look like reaching hands to me. Spooky! But the effect is great, you shouldn't be too critical to yourself!
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great shot,love the colors.the composition is very nice !
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.......amazing....I honestly just don't even know what else to say
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Not to sound like everyone else here, ha, but i think it looks fantastic (who am i kidding i do sound like everyone else 
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Thanks again.
I really appreciate the comments
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I really like the colors & and the shape of those trees.. great manipulation, thats for sure
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this is bad holy shit i want to see the stuff u think is great
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the fiery colours really give it an edge, great work
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it's beautiful. the colors fit the mood.
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wow perfection and raddiance!!! wow!~kaida
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amazing shot!
i love the colors and the shades... great contrast
great job
... 
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Wow, not that it will make you like this shot any better but I love it. Maybe itβs the fiery red scenery, the clouds or the way the tree is being swallowed by the sea grass I donβt know. I would say all of it I guess. I really lack the opportunity to take interesting landscape shots like this living in a urban sprawl, so stuff like this always catches my eye.
I really can imagine small kids running around the tree cutting paths in the grass. Maybe flying a kite. Not sure, but the point is it sets a great stage for my imagination. Ok, Iβll stop rambling now
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i kinda agree with your ideas but as far as the manip goes i thing they should be submitted to Digitalart/photo manip category, because i think it's not the same thing to slightly adjeust levels, or try to fix an accident blur, or an accident lack of blur and to change the colors and actuallly the idea behind the image.. .it's not the same thing, says Yoda, and i tend to agree with him often 
anyways, just fooling, hope u dont mind... its also interesting that i have a pic from almost the same place (i think)
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Well I think it looks great! I have a soft spot for yellows/oranges/reds, so.
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Looking at it, just gives me a strange feeling.. I feel its lonely, yet the sea of grass makes me think that is life, the present and the future far ahead.. its a mystry.. and the tree its like an obstacle in life or could be someone/something that is lost in life, yet not so lost because parts of it are still standing out and seen through this sea..
you've taken a good shot here.. really nice colours as well.. I can imagine this shot in different colours or even just black and white.. but still it will give me that same feeling.
This also reminds me of such trees and seas of grass that I see in my dreams regularly.. its a definite fav, you deserve it.
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Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment! Very appreciated! And the fav too, of course
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i agree, this is far to editied for my liking, the description makes an interesting read though, allthough i personally try not to touch my shots at all, despite some of tehm could benifit from it.
the shot here is super harsh though, the high contrast and restricted angry colour scheme, it just doenst look serene and peacefull. there is convergence going on here, although with no parrallel lines its not so obvious, however the tree branches appear to be at odd unnatural angles.
there also seem to be 3 conflicting focal points, the sky clouds, the trees and the grass, its all a bit confusing :\
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love it man. The color is so vibrant and very fitting for the subject matter. This shot makes me wnat to crawl through the brush to discover the rest of the tree.
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very impressive!! great color retouching and awesome clouds along with strait up sweet little lonely branch.
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the colors are just brillant. this images emits so much warm. i really like how the field engulfs the tree and that we only get to see the branches. that sky backdrop is just excellent and supports the subject matter beutifully. you defintiely have a really rad shot on your hands here.
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the high contrast gives dramatical view to this picture..
and about editing, i used to edit a lot with my digital cam taken shots. like you said, almost nothing good came out of manipulated not good shot. but using power of both - pretty shots unedited + some manipulating (adjusting, call it whatever) can lead to a great photo, you know.
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I love this composition, maybe you should consider submitting this one as photo manip shot,
Great Job
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Thanks for the comment btw!
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I don't think that is the right place for this shot (I don't ever think Darkroom is the right place, I'd rather place it in Conceptual). The only thing I've done with this shot is change the colors and contrast, nothing else. That is what I do on most of my shots, just more than usual on this.
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The red hue and the dramatic sky with the barren tree make this shot look like the end of the world. Good maniplation
Something makes my eyes jump from the top of the shot to the middle part and then to bottom and then up again... I guess there could be a little too much grass like ink-brains said before. Now the shot leaves a sort of uncomfortable feeling with me.
What I'm saying is that the shot looks great and is well manipulated, with lots of feeling and atmosphere, but it leaves me uneasy because my eyes are not able to settle on some specific spot.
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Thanks a lot for the thoughtful comment!
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I 
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Thank you so much for commenting.
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wonderful work my friend I think the photo is quite stunning in terms of the composition and subject matter. The branches coming out of the field are quite nice. very nice work.
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this is quite an interesting shot actually, though you are right, the colours add a much stronger sense of feel to the shot.
i particularly like the clouds and how it seems to be broiling with light from within
but i feel the 1/3 option (1/3 portion of sky, 2/3 portion of grass) does not do much for the shot. i would crop most of the grass out and leave the grass to take up roughly 1/4 of the bottom picture, thus placing more emphasis on the branches and sky which, i think, are the main strengths and focus points in this image
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Very interesting point you have. I think it's a good idea, it would definitely put the focus on the branches. The only problem I have with it is that it might loose some depth. Thanks a lot for the insightful comment!
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no problem! i think you wont lose much depth because the clouds actually gives a lot of depth in its texture and shadows
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Lovely colour and lighting, its feels like a sereal dream sequence.
I personally wouldn't want the world to look like this though.
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