JT22

Acurazine Photo Contest #32

The theme for this contest is: "Dramatic Sky-Scape"

This one seems pretty self explanatory. I am sure you have seen picture with gloomy/dark looking clouds and sky with alot of color in them. That is what we are going for in this theme.
HDR *IS* allowed.

The rules for this contest are as follows:

-The subject can be anything you deem acceptable that fits the description.
-You must be the person that took the photos. Previous photos are acceptable as long as you are the one that captured the image.
-One submission per contest.
-Images must be no larger than 1024px in any direction. Links to larger images are allowed but you must have one that is under 1024px for the poll.
-All contestants must host their own pictures.
-All pictures must have a title.
-While post processing in Photoshop is allowed, adding or removing parts of the picture is not. In the event a photo is suspected to be "photo-chopped," the contestant will be asked to provide the original picture.

Important dates and poll info:

Entries must be submitted to this thread no later than Tuesday, September 29th at 9PM EST

The poll will start on Wednesday, September 30th

The poll will close on Saturday, October 1st at 9PM EST

waTSX

It needs to depict gloom/darkness, or is any dramatic sky scape permissible?

drigo

Great question...is something like thick pillows of clouds with let's say...sun rays beaming through allowed?
Just an imaginary sample thought

great theme btw...

crzygosu87

iTrader: (4)

Oooh nice theme! Looking forward to the pictures!

JT22

The broader idea of any dramatic sky scape i think will generate more pictures... therefore lets stick with that

Billiam

FWIW I feel that HDR being allowed in this contest, and even the entire last contest, is getting away from the notion of processing not being an integral part of the images for our contests. If that's the way we collectively want to take things, no problem. I'm just saying that image processing skills are not what the intent of the contests have been up until recently.

stogie1020

^ I agree. If it's going to a processing technique contest, make it one. Otherwise, I think we should distinguish.

Anhedonia

im down with no HDR..

srika

I see where you are coming from and I agree that post processing should not make or break a photo in here - but the fact is that it has been allowed from the start (I just checked to make sure - in the very first contest thread, you even wrote that PP is "expected"; furthermore the amount of permissible PP has never been specified - the only qualifying factor has been that parts of the image cannot be chopped out). And, it's possible to do a shot that looks like a HDR, without using Photomatix. You're making it sound like they started out as SOOC and changed along the way. That is clearly not the case.

Anhedonia

I guess ill be the first entry, took this a couple of days ago.

Bald Spot - Anhedonia
(picture removed)

EDIT: ewwww shitty grainy image hosting. ok fuck image shack, anyone got a better idea?

waTSX

Billiam

The point I was trying to make isn't so much about what degree people are processing their images. The point I'm trying to make is that this contest and the last are explicitly allowing (or requiring) a specific image processing technique as part of the contest theme. That's what I'm saying is outside of the general norm of past contests.

As I said, I have no problem if that's the direction things go. My only real concern about any of this is that we'd have people not participating because they're intimidated by the software tools or simply don't have access to them.

And FWIW, I was pretty specific in the first contest thread about the types of processing that were to be expected.

srika

Ok I see what you mean now regarding the last 2.

btw you did specify the elements but "enhancement" is not really specific - and those are very broad adjustments which can result in a vastly different image than the original.

srika

one more thing - what if someone used ND grad filters? or one of those lighting modes on the newer cameras that simulate an HDR kind of effect? We don't have hardware limitations on this, it's tough to impose software ones that might generate the same kind of looks.

waTSX

I'd say the use of filters is okay. They are used during the shot and not in post, and are pretty much a staple of landscape photography.

wndrlst

I can totally see where Billiam is going with this. Many contests I've participated in (various forums and Flickr) specifically exclude or include HDR in the contest parameters, though "adjustments" like curves and levels are considered obvious allowances. Maybe it's just another of those things that the winner decides for their particular theme, as in this case? I'd personally opt against it in most cases, but that's just one opinion. Including it won't keep me from participating, unless it's HDR only. I'm not a big fan, for the most part. It's more digital art to me, which is worth something in its own right, but again - it depends on the intent of the contest. As Billiam said, if that's the direction the majority choose, so be it.

srika

what if you have a set of filters and I don't?

wndrlst

What if you have a 5D and I don't? Or a really fancy lens, and I only have a walkaround? Apples to oranges.

srika

oh.. hey I'm just playing devil's advocate

edit: oh yeah most people on here agree that the camera has nothing to do with the pictures. remember? megapixels etc. mean nothing.

wndrlst

Touche :P

Sarlacc

Taken last week on my iPhone:

"Sundown on Hollywood"

Stapler

Two worlds.

ViperrepiV

Okay, i got one:

Marshmallows

VorteC

The Valley Below

FiftyFive

Keep this on topic.

wndrlst

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/moxiephotos/3741018882/" title="Sunrise &amp; Sunflowers by MoxiePhotos, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3470/3741018882_8caf5bd3ea_b.jpg" width="1024" height="682" alt="Sunrise &amp; Sunflowers" /></a>

srika

"into the west" - yea im cheesy like that

http://www.flickr.com/photos/delobbo/3903262739/
(no HDR or tonemapping)

drigo

wow...another contest with a great start...good stuff so far everyone


wndrlst....somehow i had a feeling you were gonna use one of those sunflower pics
great sky...i like the black & white version

wndrlst

Thank you! I use Camera Raw, and play with the sliders until I get the feel I'm looking for. Someday I'll try out the channel mixing in PS, but so far this is making me happy.
Thanks! It was this or the wide angle looking up...

Beelzebub

Cool theme


I have a few that I have taken on my cycling trip. I will have to play with them when I get home

SaaBaaDoo

Sun vs. Storm

sho_nuff1997

iTrader: (2)

Mizouse

geez there didnt know that the iphone 3GS provides so much exif information

Camera Make: Apple
Camera Model: iPhone
Image Date: 2009:08:28 19:28:30
Focal Length: 3.9mm
Exposure Time: 0.017 s (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 87
White Balance: Auto
Comment: { AEAverage = 196; AELimitsReached = 0; AEStable = 1; AFStable = 1; AFStatus = 4; AGC = 316; AWBBGain = 165; AWBGGain = 64; AWBRGain = 170; AWBStable = 1; AccelerometerDeltas = "(0.0027 0.0070 0.0054) @ 0.0200"; ApertureValue = 3; BrightnessValue = 4.340077448826901; CurrentFocusPosition = 29; ExposureBias = 0; ExposureTime = 0.01666664347826087; Fnumber = 2.8; FocalLength = 3.85; FocusBand = "15.39 in [14.30, 20.51]"; FocusMode = 1; FocusPeakSumArray = ( 20649, 21063, 21357, 21712, 351036 ); FocusScan = "(0,15.71) (29,16.56) (56,14.87) (81,13.39) 2.5s ago"; FocusScoresArray = ( 155625, 164920, 169101, 173334, 5905061 ); FocusWindow = "350/300 300x400"; FullyExposed = 1; ISOSpeedRating = 87; NoiseReduction = "S:4 C:8 Y:0"; OneFrameAEMode = 0; Orientation = 1; OverflowOccurred = 0; PreviousFocu

Mizouse

"Burning with desire"

Sarlacc

I have the lat and long, too

FiftyFive

Next person to derail this thread gets a vacation.

waTSX, your entry is fine.

LKLD

^ Thank you.

Estate:





Non-HDR, but post-processing

wndrlst

Cool!

Speed_Racer

As far as the eye can see...

LuvMyTSX

Very cool shot.