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gyaban


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: The Moon II (Expert Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
Date: Sep 2, 2012
Date Uploaded: Sep 2, 2012

 Thank you very much for the kind votes and comments.

For this entry, I decided to create something simple, for a change ;-) However, I still wanted it to be a bit different from the usual moon shot, so instead of using shades of blue/cyan, and went with warm colors.

I believe there are 11 photos blended here:
- The sky is a composite of 3 photos, one for the main part, and two for clouds.
- The moon was photographed on Thursday: while the full moon was expected on Friday, the sky was very cloudy, the weather forecasts weren't too optimistic, so I just played safety and shot it while it lasted. I spent some time masking parts of it to show some clouds over it, and adjusting its surface color to fit in the scene.
- The cat is my forth one, found a few months ago in my parents garden when visiting them. He was running away from most people, but he somehow came to me: he probably felt I can't really resist to cats' will ;-) My wife and I took good care of him (as he was lacking some decent food and had his fur a bit burnt on one side - no clue how that happened), and now he is enjoying his time with us as one can, and even earned a full week of glory on DPC ;-)
- For the water, I first shot it one evening on my road back from work, but I felt something was lacking. So I went back the next morning, and threw little rocks in the lake to create these ripples. I spent half an hour adjusting the position of it relatively to the sun reflection, but it was quite amusing, and a good way to start a day of work.
- The big rock that the cat is standing on was shot separately. It really was in the same lake, just somewhere else.
- For the scratches, I made them with a stick in mud, and used that as a base to paste over the moon.
- The background is mostly real, except the mountain on the right side that did not exist: it is created with a photo of a big rock positioned vertically.
- As for the birds of prey, one flew over my house when I was out, so I did not have to travel much for it. I just pasted a couple of shots in the scene, and that was it.

ETA: I really don't have much time to write a tutorial about it, but I don't mind sharing the Photoshop file (CS6 format) (although resized to keep the file under 20Mb, the original weighting 2.3Gb). Note that the colors can be a bit off compared to the final image: this is because I work on a wide-gamut screen and convert it to sRGB at the end. If you are used to play with composites, there is nothing mind-blowing in it to be found, but if you are beginning with those maybe you could find it to be somehow useful. Anyway, feel free to PM me if you have any question.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 74
Avg (all users): 7.7619
Avg (commenters): 9.1429
Avg (participants): 7.8095
Avg (non-participants): 7.7381
Views since voting: 8232
Views during voting: 391
Votes: 126
Comments: 47
Favorites: 12 (view)

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AuthorThread
 09/13/2012 09:58:37 PM
Originally posted by Reiner:
Wow! Oh how I wish I had your imagination and skill.


That's about what I needed to say! Congratulations, Christophe.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/12/2012 01:47:36 AM
Wow! Oh how I wish I had your imagination and skill.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/12/2012 12:04:49 AM
I HAVE LOVED SO MANY OF YOUR IMAGES AND IN AWE OF YOUR AWESOME TALENT... THIS ONE HAS RECEIVED MANY COMMENTS SAYING IT MORE SERENE, AND ALMOST REAL, AS I BELIEVE IN FAIRIES MOONS AND CATS SO FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS ONE AND IT TOUCHED MY HEART THE MOST RE ALL YOUR IMAGES... THIS ONE WITH THE FANTASY FEELING AND THE NEAR REALISM WON ME COMPLETELY AND WILL STAY IN MY HEART FOR A LONG LONG LONG TIME... THE SCRATCH WAS A [PERFECT ADDITION, AND I ALSO LOVED THE STORY OF THE CAT... YOU TWO ARE DARLINGS AS WELL AND THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT YOU HAVE AND SHARING IT WITH US... FROM SHEZ

Originally posted by gyaban:
Originally posted by sherpet:
MY PICK FOR THE BEST OF THE 'MOON' CHALLENGE


THANK YOU VERY MUCH SHERPET! I AM GLAD YOU LIKED IT AND AM VERY PROUD OF THE AWARDS :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2012 11:25:28 PM
Originally posted by sherpet:
MY PICK FOR THE BEST OF THE 'MOON' CHALLENGE


THANK YOU VERY MUCH SHERPET! I AM GLAD YOU LIKED IT AND AM VERY PROUD OF THE AWARDS :-)
 09/11/2012 11:20:54 PM

MY PICK FOR THE BEST OF THE 'MOON' CHALLENGE - PICTURE PERFECT IN EVERYWAY AND SORRY I AM LATE BUT MY HEALTH AND ALSO HEALTH CONCERNS WITH MY HUSBAND HAVE ALLOWED ME TO NOT GET THIS DONE WHEN ANNOUNCED...

I LOVE THIS EVERY BIT OF IT... THE IDEA THE TECHNICAL RESULTS, THE SIMPLICITY OF IT, AND THE RESULT... LOVED IT AND WILL ALWAYS LOVE IT...

DUE TO BEING LATE AND THE EXCELLENT RESULT OF THIS IMAGE I AM GIVING YOU MY SHERPET 'JEWEL' OF EXCELLENCE AWARD AS WELL AS THE SHERPET 'BLUE' STAR AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
MY 1st AWARDED DOUBLE... CONGRATS FROM SHEZ

CONGRATULATIONS Christophe - Scratch by gyaban

AND ALSO THE

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2012 05:40:51 AM
Outstanding work as always! Loved this image, gave it a 10...congrats on your ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 05:38:55 PM
I'm glad the cat has a good home.

Throwing the rocks into the lake to create the ripples is what really drew me, it gave the photo character, well done.
One of the most serene shots you've taken, lovely mood and tones, Just gorgeous to look at - thankyou ~
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 05:17:43 PM
Awe, I love the cat rescue story. You have a good heart Christophe :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 02:13:47 PM
Originally posted by EL-ROI:
Originally posted by gyaban:
Originally posted by mqnaufal:
Fantastic one and well deserved crown! I would love to read Post-processing tutorial on this. I know I am asking for too much. :)

Congrats buddy!


Thank you very much :-)
A complete tutorial would be very long to write and I unfortunately can't afford that time, but I made the PSD file available (added the link at the end of my notes). Just disable all the groups, then enable them one by one to see how that was constructed. It should be quite easy to follow, but you can always PM me for some information if needed.


It was very generous of you to make the file available Christophe! What a way to give back to and mentor a community of lifetime learners! Thank you very much for your generous offering of the photoshop file!


Wow! Thanks a lot Christophe. That's truly awesome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 12:52:31 PM
Congrats!! Well deserved. A superb, magical image and a very lucky cat.
Thanks for sharing the setup and the link.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 11:35:18 AM
Love. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 11:30:01 AM
As always the creative level and attention to detail is outstanding, I loved reading about all the different photos being used and the technical perfection in putting them together is well beyond my skills and imagination. Great stuff, congratulations
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 11:03:09 AM
Originally posted by gyaban:
Originally posted by mqnaufal:
Fantastic one and well deserved crown! I would love to read Post-processing tutorial on this. I know I am asking for too much. :)

Congrats buddy!


Thank you very much :-)
A complete tutorial would be very long to write and I unfortunately can't afford that time, but I made the PSD file available (added the link at the end of my notes). Just disable all the groups, then enable them one by one to see how that was constructed. It should be quite easy to follow, but you can always PM me for some information if needed.


It was very generous of you to make the file available Christophe! What a way to give back to and mentor a community of lifetime learners! Thank you very much for your generous offering of the photoshop file!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 10:34:06 AM
Congrats, Christophe!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 06:59:03 AM
Great image,Congrats on the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 06:45:02 AM
Thanks for sharing the psd! I went through it meticulously. Very nice build and attention to detail.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 06:44:24 AM
Christophe, your notes start with:
For this entry, I decided to create something simple, for a change
You said it all. The one time where "less is more" truly applies. You created a strong image, still a photograph, with a clear focal point, a splendid atmosphere, a great economy in details. Expert editing but not a book illustration where the medium does really not count.

I liked your photos before you got immersed in photoshop which took over the photography.
This photo gave me the feeling that you were going into the direction of illustration:
. The majestic, sometimes aloof Mont Saint Michel became the princess castle.

This is the reason why I do not mark your shots. I commend you for the photoshop technique, your extraordinary diligence , the perseverance and enthusiasm and wish that you'll develop more and into different directions. Sometimes the cheers of an audience makes one stuck to one road while there are so many other possibilities.
Keep exploring!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 06:33:45 AM
Beautiful and surreal.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 06:30:11 AM
The odd thing about cats is you can never get them to dress up like a maid and furthermore have the audacity to scratch curiously at the rare "blue" moon. I love that about cats and quite enjoyed this image. The color choice speaks like a Judi image. +FAV
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 04:35:14 AM
You did it again. Fabulous.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 03:09:35 AM
Not your usual style, but still amazing. I was in front of my computer with my niece (she's a huge fan of your works, especially because she loves France ^_^) and I said: even if it's not his style it must be his ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 01:31:02 AM
Originally posted by mqnaufal:
Fantastic one and well deserved crown! I would love to read Post-processing tutorial on this. I know I am asking for too much. :)

Congrats buddy!


Thank you very much :-)
A complete tutorial would be very long to write and I unfortunately can't afford that time, but I made the PSD file available (added the link at the end of my notes). Just disable all the groups, then enable them one by one to see how that was constructed. It should be quite easy to follow, but you can always PM me for some information if needed.
 09/10/2012 01:26:17 AM
Very creative Christoph
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 01:07:38 AM
Congrats - you make it all sound so easy!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 12:49:12 AM
Fantastic one and well deserved crown! I would love to read Post-processing tutorial on this. I know I am asking for too much. :)

Congrats buddy!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 12:35:00 AM
wonderful work as always christophe - the earth can recommence to rotate now that you're back in blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/10/2012 12:01:23 AM
The moon shot alone would have been gorgeous, the complete image is fantastic.
Congrats and send greetings to the cat :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/09/2012 11:52:32 PM
Well done Christoph, I'm very pleased to hear about that cat, lucky thing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/09/2012 09:19:31 PM
You are the master! Congrats on a fantastic image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/09/2012 08:16:04 PM
Fantastic score for a beautiful and beautifully crafted image. Congratulations on the blue ribbon, Christophe.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/09/2012 08:01:38 PM
Perfect in every way possible. Congrats on yet another blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
09/09/2012 05:56:45 PM
What a beautiful and clever story telling image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/09/2012 04:16:09 PM
Nicely done; details are great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/09/2012 02:29:03 PM
My favorite of the challenge - I love the interaction of the cat and the moon and if a cat COULD do this, I am certain he WOULD. Beautiful tones, too.Voted earlier.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/08/2012 04:59:03 AM
Beautiful rendition. The Rays are a subtle addition that really pull things together.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/05/2012 05:00:16 PM
I really like the use of the warm colors for a moon shot vice cool blues and greens. Unconventional and really well put together.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/04/2012 02:21:07 PM
Best in show award, congrats , I can this on a novel cover.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/04/2012 08:56:52 AM
WOW and I must add Seriously WOW In my humble opinion the best expert edit I've seen, makes me believe the cat scratched the moon! 10 and I expect to see this if not with the blue in the top 2
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/04/2012 07:29:06 AM
Outstanding, looks like winner to me :) 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/04/2012 03:43:40 AM
yep, you got me hooked. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/03/2012 02:40:26 PM
fantastic! yes it is a fantasy. well done 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/03/2012 09:52:37 AM
Beautifully conceived and edited.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/03/2012 07:55:44 AM
This'll probably do it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/03/2012 07:47:42 AM
Voted earlier coming back to comment.

I love the magic of this composition! It does make you wonder if cats look up at the full moon as a great big ball of yarn or play toy that they would love to sink their claws into:-) Although, I don't know any cat that would be brave enough to be perched on a small island rock surrounded by water:-) All the cats I've ever known hate water. Still, very high marks on this wonderful creation because all elements are perfectly placed into the scene.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/02/2012 08:33:03 PM
*beep* Houston, we, uhhh, have a problem ... *beep*
*beep* Go ahead, Moonbase 1 *beep*
*beep* Half of the base was just wiped out by what appeared to be gigantic ... ummm ... well, claws *beep*
*beep* Moonbase 1, please check your oxygen supply and the air recycling filters *beep*
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/02/2012 08:32:57 PM
really nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/02/2012 08:30:41 PM
So fun!

WOnderfully done!

(commenting only)
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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