May 07 Discussion Thread

[T Paul]

Add your comments, questions or general discussion about the Contest entries here. This is also a great place to share your techniques or ask others about theirs.

Most members are eager to hear comments/suggestions about their entries, so please take the time to help each other out.

[Kraellin]

very cool, dee dee.

i like the addition of the painting. the window is great but seems to come pretty low to the floor. and some of the proportions seem just a touch off. good stucco.

(mind you, not that i can do any better, but that's what i see ).

[Swampy]

Thanks for the suggestions, Craig. It was a fun project and I look forward to seeing what others will do with it.

[byRo]

Swampy, nice work.
Good to see you've set a high level for us to follow.

[Swampy]

Why, thank you Ro! The hardest part was finding a source for the vine that was close to the perspective needed.

[Marthig]

Have just seen the basis for this contest, I love it ! really fantastic and leaves a lot of space for creativity without deviating from the rules. Congrats to TPaul and the artist that sketched the photo :clap:

Congratulations also to Swampy, for your entry, just great (but then, what else is new coming from you )
Will start looking for material .

[Swampy]

Thank you Martha. Have fun putting your composition together. :-)

[Kraellin]

these are amazing, guys.

just one note, read the sketch VERY carefully! if i manage to enter i'll be judging, at least in part, based on duplicating the sketch instructions. the sketch says 'stucco or adobe, textured/old', not new. old stucco and adobe have a very distinct look from new.

[Lorraine]

Originally Posted by Kraellin

these are amazing, guys.

just one note, read the sketch VERY carefully! if i manage to enter i'll be judging, at least in part, based on duplicating the sketch instructions. the sketch says 'stucco or adobe, textured/old', not new. old stucco and adobe have a very distinct look from new.

Thanks for pointing that detail out. Also, I'd like to add that the instructions state "Late PM or Early AM Shadows". I think correct shadows and lighting are a major factor in this contest.


Lorraine

[Frank Lopes]

I'm curious to know what the overall opinion is regarding this month's contest.

How do you feel if someone "posed" real items in front of an old stucco wall, waited for the light to be just right and took a photograph?

It seems to me the challenge of the contest, is to digitally assemble the image and not "physically" pose the items and then photograph them.

This question was prompted by the fact that I have the opportunity to photograph exactly the scene proposed even still I feel I would be "cheating" or, at the very least, I would be going against the "intent" of the rules.

Just curious...

[Kraellin]

It's up to you to get (or make) the components, but take care that no copyrighted photos are used. The final result should pass for an actual photo.

frank, though it's not implicitly stated, i think the idea is to get 'components', plural, and composite something. and, in the case of photographing each piece by itself and then compositing those, i'd say that was also missing the flavor and point of the contest. but, strictly speaking, that would fit within the stated rules... '(or make) the components,'. i can certainly see the person working for the art director doing just such a thing. so, i guess the question is, will the 'art director', (the voters) go along with that or not?

[Doug Colwell]

Originally Posted by Frank Lopes

I'm curious to know what the overall opinion is regarding this month's contest.

How do you feel if someone "posed" real items in front of an old stucco wall, waited for the light to be just right and took a photograph?

Given high speed internet, google and patience I bet most if not all of the sketch elements could be found pre-arranged in a photo (it is kind of a generic scene). I for one am very interested to see what you could come up with, and think the photography half of the process is something that is a bit neglected around here. How about a contest where are all image elements are 'taken' rather than 'borrowed'?

And thanks Kraellin, my stucco maintainance was in dire need of mañana.

[Lorraine]

Hi all,

This is really a good discussion thread this month. I'm guilty of photographing some of the components in my proposed entry. I see no problem with that.

I wanted a true early morning light, so I posed the table, chair, vase and coffe cup in my east-facing backyard and draped a sheet behind them. I took that part of the composition at 7:30 a.m. Assembling the items, photographing and then cutting them out took longer than trying to find photos on the internet.

I used that photo along with photos found on the internet: background (stucco building with window) and the trellis.

Lorraine

[Doug Colwell]

Hi Lorraine. If you post your photos in this thread they'll be on the internet, then you can find and use them.

[chillin]

I don’t understand what the confusion is.
There are only two rules :

Quote:
* Turn the provided sketch into a photo.
* Final image must be exactly 800 pixels wide and 600 pixels high.

… & Frank Lopes would perfectly follow them. Any creation done using PS or PSP could hardly be called a photo.
I think we all agree with the second rule & the first one should be left alone to everyone’s own interpretation.

Just IMHO

[byRo]

Well, we've had "monatages", photographs, internet searches.......
Thought I'd add a 3-D render to the melting pot.
(just a WIP, lots to do still)

Rô

[Swampy]

I don't think anyone will find something on the net that will duplicate the sketch exactly. Posing shots for compositing is fine with me and I'm happy for those who have the photographic talent to do so. I had most of the elements on hand except the dang trellis. Even if you have the elements, it's not easy to position them, get the perspective/proportion right, cast shadows and set the lighting THEN make sure it all still looks like a photograph. I have found it to be one of the most fun challenges I've done.

[Doug Nelson]

Originally Posted by byRo

Thought I'd add a 3-D render to the melting pot.

I was hoping someone would use PSCS3's new 3D compositing features.

[Swampy]

I think 3D render's only in the Extended version of PSCS3. I'm not going that far $$$ wise when I do upgrade. Actually, my upgrade will be a downgrade.. From CS2 Premium to CS3 Design Standard.

[byRo]

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

I was hoping someone would use PSCS3's new 3D compositing features.

Like Swampy said...
..and seeing as I already have "real" 3-D programs, no need to use 2-1/2.

Rô

[Doug Colwell]

Originally Posted by byRo

This is just a "Work in Progress" - I'll probably change everything.
Thought I'd add it here, just to stir up the discussion!

Rô

OK I'll bite - can a render really look like a photograph?

[byRo]

Originally Posted by Doug Colwell

OK I'll bite - can a render really look like a photograph?

If it's well done (which isn't my case ), certainly.
Today it's pretty hard to find any film (movie) that doesn't have CG scenes - and not just Sci-Fi stuff.

[Doug Colwell]

I remember seeing CG stuff a few years back that looked it, but once it 'gets real looking' it kind of becomes un-noticeable - guess I need to pay more attention. Found this pic on the net that looks amazingly real,
http://www.deviantart.com/view/29814225/

[byRo]

Yep, scenes are easy (well, not so difficult).
The really, really, really hard part is trying to produce believable skin.

[ronsotophoto]

the sketch.gif link does not work

[elohssa]

It's still working fine for me, Ron.

[Swampy]

Craig... One observation from me. Your chair is out of proportion to the table. Not small enough to be a child's chair, not big enough to accommodate an adult. JMHO.

[Kraellin]

hehe, ok. thanks, dee dee

there's actually a couple other things i want to do looking at this now, so i'll probably re-submit.

[Kraellin]

i increased the chair size, dee dee. also made a few changes and updated.

[Swampy]

I like it better, Craig. :-)