Steve'sDigicams

mtngal · Dec 14, 2011, 2:24 PM

A good topic, especially since I'm working on that. These two pictures were taken Saturday night. The first one I used Topaz Lab's recently released Adjust 5. I like it and the presets better than in previous versions, I'll probably use it much more than I had in the past.

Where I was this past weekend. The white balance for this one was very difficult, some of the street lighting is very yellow/orange, throwing everything off (but its not consistently that way, as this picture shows). I think this is close to how I perceived it when I was there.

Now on to try some house decorations.

vsch1 · Dec 14, 2011, 3:17 PM

Well done! The first one, even with the festive lights gives me a very lonely feeling. I think the foggy, eerie look of the water may contribute to that.

mtngal · Dec 14, 2011, 9:09 PM

The first one wasn't entirely successful in one way - I used a 13 second shutter speed because I was trying to smooth out the surf. The foggy, eerie look is the ghosting left from waves moving in and out. I thought it was interesting, so I didn't try a longer shutter speed (and I wasn't using a tripod, just had the camera sitting on a wall). While the camera reported that the picture was taken at 6:55 am, it was actually 5:55 am - hadn't noticed that my camera is still set to daylight savings! So the area was pretty deserted.

saly · Dec 17, 2011, 12:09 AM

I like #1 very much!

Curmudgeon · Dec 17, 2011, 12:31 AM

Mtngal,

I like the first shot a lot. I also use Topaz Lab's software. Think it works well here.

Cheers,
Bill

mtngal · Dec 17, 2011, 9:49 AM

Thanks for the compliments, glad to know that others like the first one as much as I did. I've been impressed with Adjust 5, I've used it for a variety of pictures now, and have been really happy with it. I've usually used Detail for sharpening, I have my own preset that's usually close to what I want that keeps my picture looking natural. However, I'll probably start using Adjust more now.

Walter C · Dec 17, 2011, 9:58 AM

Yep, that's a beach Christmas tree alright, but I wonder who Rod is :-)

Dec 17, 2011, 12:09 AM	#4
saly Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: near Los Angeles, CA USA Posts: 4,764	I like #1 very much! __________________ Panasonic FZ150, FZ35 and GF1; Nikonos V when underwater ~~Art is in the eye of the camera holder~~

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Dec 14, 2011, 2:24 PM	#1
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Festive Lighting, California Beach Style A good topic, especially since I'm working on that. These two pictures were taken Saturday night. The first one I used Topaz Lab's recently released Adjust 5. I like it and the presets better than in previous versions, I'll probably use it much more than I had in the past. Where I was this past weekend. The white balance for this one was very difficult, some of the street lighting is very yellow/orange, throwing everything off (but its not consistently that way, as this picture shows). I think this is close to how I perceived it when I was there. Now on to try some house decorations.

Dec 14, 2011, 3:17 PM	#2
vsch1 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 2,885	Well done! The first one, even with the festive lights gives me a very lonely feeling. I think the foggy, eerie look of the water may contribute to that.

Dec 14, 2011, 9:09 PM	#3
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	The first one wasn't entirely successful in one way - I used a 13 second shutter speed because I was trying to smooth out the surf. The foggy, eerie look is the ghosting left from waves moving in and out. I thought it was interesting, so I didn't try a longer shutter speed (and I wasn't using a tripod, just had the camera sitting on a wall). While the camera reported that the picture was taken at 6:55 am, it was actually 5:55 am - hadn't noticed that my camera is still set to daylight savings! So the area was pretty deserted.

Dec 17, 2011, 12:31 AM	#5
Curmudgeon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: East Bay, San Francisco, CA Posts: 889	Mtngal, I like the first shot a lot. I also use Topaz Lab's software. Think it works well here. Cheers, Bill

Dec 17, 2011, 9:49 AM	#6
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Thanks for the compliments, glad to know that others like the first one as much as I did. I've been impressed with Adjust 5, I've used it for a variety of pictures now, and have been really happy with it. I've usually used Detail for sharpening, I have my own preset that's usually close to what I want that keeps my picture looking natural. However, I'll probably start using Adjust more now.

Dec 17, 2011, 9:58 AM	#7
Walter C Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Huntington Beach, CA USA Posts: 8,116	Yep, that's a beach Christmas tree alright, but I wonder who Rod is :-)