And all this time I thought DPCers hated kid pics!

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/28/2004 02:34:27 AM · #1

I just have to say thanks again for all the kind comments for my Selective Desat shot. I am still in shock this morning! :o) I really thought I'd suffer from the dreaded kid shot phenomenon with this one, but I loved how it turned out and wanted to make a print just for our family. So if you see "Print Available" soon, I'm not expecting anyone to hang my kids on their walls...but it's going on mine! And grandma's, and aunt's, and...

I had several ask me about my "work flow" for this shot. I hate to disappoint by not having some special technique or secret recipe...but all I did was use the magnetic lasso tool. I had a heck of a time getting it all around his little fingers where they were holding the watermelon, so I had to enlarge the pic on my screen to about 150%. But after that, I boosted the sats on the watermelon by about 8-10 points, then inverted the selection, and clicked desaturate. I adjusted it in curves and in levels until it looked right to me, resized, applied USM, then ran it through NeatImage, went back in and resized/USM again.

I did crop a bit on the right side...there was an old plow over there that I really didn't want to crop through, but it was VERY centered and I didn't want to suffer that critique over and over again...so I cropped and that's why that's there. We were on the side of a road on someone's private property with a huge thunderstorm looming right behind us...so it was kind of do or die!

Anyway, thanks again for the ribbon...I will relish this for a few days - my portrait is sinking in rapid fashion!!! :o)

PhilipDyer

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/28/2004 02:39:03 AM · #2

Well deserved, Laurie. I have no doubt it's just the first of many you'll be seeing in that color. Speaking of which, shouldn't the ribbons be grey for this challenge? ;-) Congrats again!

The rest of the series, if you're interested... :o)

06/28/2004 02:39:27 AM · #3

Bran-O-Rama

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/28/2004 02:47:55 AM · #4

Awesome shots Laurie :)

//laurielblack.smugmug.com/photos/5268478-L.jpg That one reminds me of the photos that come with the picture frame.. although that image is definitely worth keeping and deserves a frame of it's own.

tyt2000

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

06/28/2004 03:32:44 AM · #5

Congrats, next time don't spoil the surprise by telling us your score the next day :P

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/28/2004 03:34:41 AM · #6

...sorry...I couldn't control myself. I will refrain, if there is a next time. ;o)

Spawn

Sony DSC-P32

06/28/2004 03:39:44 AM · #7

Nice work Laurie!

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

06/28/2004 03:57:49 AM · #8

I'm really glad this got the blue, it is a sensational shot. Big time congratulations :)

I love the rest of the series as well, but agree you chose the right one to enter :)

GeeGee

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

06/28/2004 04:11:36 AM · #9

Congratulations! You certainly deserved to win. I love the whole series.

Joan Grimes

pmichaud

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/28/2004 04:15:36 AM · #10

Awesome pictures and adorable kids!!! Excellent work on both counts. Your family will treasure these prints forever. I think you have managed to capture the essence of childhood, and the essence of summer in this series. I agree, I love the whole series. Enjoy these times (with the kids), they go by much too fast.

nicoledb

Nikon D70s

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

06/28/2004 05:33:43 AM · #11

Originally posted by laurielblack:

The rest of the series, if you're interested... :o)

They're awesome! I agree on your choice for the challenge, but the others are great too. I especially like the one (or two?) where you can see the juice dripping from their chins, makes you craving for a melon. And congrats on your ribbon!

Message edited by author 2004-06-28 09:34:01.

TooCool

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

06/28/2004 08:15:34 AM · #12

Laurie, Like I said on your shot when I voted, yours was one of the few shots that truly looked like the desat had a reason for being there! It looks like a postcard! I know you got a lot of comments about the 'hose' or whatever on the side of the shot, but I thought it looked just fine the way it was. Farms have stuff in the background and these look like typical farm kids!

Can't wait to see the next Blue, hon!
TC

ablessg

Nikon D80

Olympus 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital ED

06/28/2004 08:16:41 AM · #13

Congrats Laurie !! it is truly a wonderful photo and well deserving of the blue ribbon. Way to go !

Steven
My Photos

Sonifo

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

06/28/2004 08:22:02 AM · #14

Congrats again, Laurie! I love all the shots. Very creative for sure.

You have some handsome little men. :-) Kid shots do very well if well done. You are on a roll.

flip89

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

06/28/2004 08:23:30 AM · #15

Yes, but this one tells a story ... and brings us back so many memories of summer. It's universal in its appeal because it is a universal experience. There are snapshots of children, but this is a snapshot of shared memories ...

06/28/2004 08:25:12 AM · #16

Thanks, y'all...the roll, I'm afraid, ends soon, as my two current entries are FAR from ribbon territory. But that's OK...this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I am certainly appreciative and shocked!

PS - They are pretty cute, though...aren't they! ;o)

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

06/28/2004 08:26:36 AM · #17

Originally posted by flip89:

I like the winning image but this statement about memories of summer being universal isn't correct.

Sonifo

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

06/28/2004 08:31:17 AM · #18

I would love to have a postcard of this shot, but dpc doens't sell them. :-(

I sure wish they did!

flip89

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

06/28/2004 08:33:48 AM · #19

Originally posted by xion:

Originally posted by flip89:
Yes, but this one tells a story ... and brings us back so many memories of summer. It's universal in its appeal because it is a universal experience. There are snapshots of children, but this is a snapshot of shared memories ...

I like the winning image but this statement about memories of summer being universal isn't correct.

Well, I grew up in Asia and I remember having the same experience when I was a kid. I am basing it in my own experience. I guess, I should have qualified it as being a limited universal experience :-).

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

06/28/2004 08:39:08 AM · #20

Originally posted by flip89:

Originally posted by xion:

Originally posted by flip89:
Yes, but this one tells a story ... and brings us back so many memories of summer. It's universal in its appeal because it is a universal experience. There are snapshots of children, but this is a snapshot of shared memories ...

I like the winning image but this statement about memories of summer being universal isn't correct.

Well, I grew up in Asia and I remember having the same experience when I was a kid. I am basing it in my own experience. I guess, I should have qualified it as being a limited universal experience :-).

Well Asia is a big continent and there are countries in Asia with 4 seasons. Where I come from, we don't have that. We don't have summer experiences or winter experiences.

flip89

Nikon D700

06/28/2004 10:01:40 AM · #21

Originally posted by xion:

Originally posted by flip89:

Originally posted by xion:

Originally posted by flip89:
Yes, but this one tells a story ... and brings us back so many memories of summer. It's universal in its appeal because it is a universal experience. There are snapshots of children, but this is a snapshot of shared memories ...

I like the winning image but this statement about memories of summer being universal isn't correct.

Well, I grew up in Asia and I remember having the same experience when I was a kid. I am basing it in my own experience. I guess, I should have qualified it as being a limited universal experience :-).

Well Asia is a big continent and there are countries in Asia with 4 seasons. Where I come from, we don't have that. We don't have summer experiences or winter experiences.

We don't either. I don't think you're the only one who came from somewhere ... I grew up dirt poor on an island a few degrees above the equator. Watermelons came a few times a year because they had to be imported from the main islands. But we had (still have) pineapples and guavas and mangoes, rambutan, lychees, lanzones, and coconuts and others exotic fruits when they're in season. I remember climbing up a whatever fruit tree was in season and sharing fruits just like in the picture.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a watermelon, It's the experience of childhood that is universally depicted in the picture and that's why the picture is appealing. I am sure you had childhood experiences similar in the neck of the woods where you grew up.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

06/28/2004 10:03:20 AM · #22

:) i thought we were talking about the summer season. Not just any season. :)

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

06/28/2004 10:07:42 AM · #23

While enjoying some cool watermelon on a sultry summer afternoon may not be a universal experience, I think this photo does an excellent job of conveying what that experience might feel like, even (especially?) to those who haven't experienced it themselves.