The Things I See
Test Image
Posted by Craig (Vacaville, California, United States) on 22 September 2007 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.
leova(↑) from Toronto, Canada
this image is much darker ... almost hard to see comparing to previous one.
22 Sep 2007 5:22am
@leova(↑): Thank you very much for your input!
Anne from White Rock, Canada
Hi Craiger! There is much more contrast in this one. It makes the sky preferable to yesterday's! A beautiful dark royal blue with millions of twinkling stars - they are nicer than yesterday's stars! However, the previous comment is more or less right with regard to your camp fire! The lighted area between the trees is less and is not very obvious - the contrast on the dark areas has made the folliage as dark as the main tree area. The color looks fine ! So I guess you need to be in between your settings yesterday and today. I am having a bit of the same trouble since I changed to Vista and a new wide LCD monitor. The default is very bright and I need to see my photos on another computer. I've reset it in Control Panel to Adobe Gamma sRGB but it looked so dull I've put it back again! Maybe you can tell me if there is anything wrong with my color and contrast - because they look just fine to me. On my daughter's Mac they looked terrible but her IMac is set at the default she got it at anyway! What a problem :-(
22 Sep 2007 6:19am
@Anne: Hi Anne! Thanks a million for your feedback! At this point I hesitate to give anyone feedback on how their work looks because my monitor is obviously not calibrated correctly. I think I'm going down to Kinko's this morning to look at my website on several monitors. I think Adobe Gamma leaves to much room for error and is not reliable. I think I am going to look into some calibration software. Considering how much we spend on cameras, I think some calibration software may be well worth it. Again, I sure appreciate your feedback!
Anne from White Rock, Canada
PS. Everybody else's photos on aminus3 look fine to me - so maybe my monitor isn't as far out as I thought, or other people's photos would look terrrible to me on my monitor.
22 Sep 2007 6:22am
Richard_Irwin from Belper, United Kingdom
Todays shot is much better. More contrast, better range of tones, but I really wouldn't worry too much about it. The trouble with monitors is that we all have different settings, so how I see the image is more than likely different from you or anyone else.
For instance, I edit most of my images on a desktop PC using a highly calibrated monitor that I use for printing - so the screen images look like the prints. Images look stunning on the big monitor. On my cheapo laptop, these same images look washed out and rubbish, so any shots I put on my PBlog have to be edited further, with the contrast and saturation pushed up, but I can only guess how they appear to others, and often comments reflect this.
Monitor calibration devices are much cheaper now, they really do a fine job, something like the Pantone Huey or Eye-One will be much better than Adobe Gamma.
22 Sep 2007 8:20am
@Richard_Irwin: Hi Richard! Your evaluation is right on as far as the trouble with sending our work out there to be viewed others that have their monitors all set differently. I am going to take your advise and invest in some calibration software. Although there will be a large variation in the way my work is viewed, I want to be sure that I am confident in what I am sending out there. I sure appreciate the advise!
Bron from Canberra, Australia
It's an interesting thought Craiger - how others view our shots - we send them out thinking they look right, to different computers set differently! On my monitor yesterday's was better. Today's is altogether too dark here, the bottom half being quite obscured. cheers Bron
22 Sep 2007 9:23am
@Bron: Thanks Bron! I appreciate your comment. As I told Richard above, I can't control how others monitors are set. But, I want to be sure that I am sending stuff out there that is as close to correct as possible. Therefore, I'm investing in some calibration software!
L.Reis from Lisboa, Portugal
Today's photo is much better...the sky is now of a rich dark blue while yesterday it was pale, the trees are completely black and the amount of light , among them is smaller but it has more contrast.
22 Sep 2007 11:10am
@L.Reis: Many thanks for your input!
jen from Alpharetta, United States
Today's shot is much much darker...
I too have wondered about how others have seen my images compared to what I see here, I've had some odd "color" comments so I know others are not seeing what I do. Good Luck hope all works out for you Craig!
22 Sep 2007 2:26pm
@jen: Thanks Jen! I'm not going to comment on others work or post any images until I'm sure I'm calibrated correctly. This might take a week or two because I have to order the software. I may drive about 30 miles to the local camera store to buy another "gray" card and a test pattern. Also, like I said above, I'm going to head down to the local Kinko's to see what I've been posting on several different monitors.
Seraphine from San Francisco, United States
I can tell you what I see. Today's pic is darker and richer. I see less detail, but richer, more saturated colors, Craiger.
22 Sep 2007 3:23pm
@Seraphine: Thanks very much Seraphine! I sure appreciate your help!!!
Stunner from Kingston, Jamaica
It is darker and the trees look more like silhouettes at the top. I' m not sure how to help you with calibration at all.
22 Sep 2007 6:21pm
@Stunner: Thanks Stunner!
purelysnow from Chengdu, China
It might be inconvenient, but another way to check the colors on your monitor is to get a couple of photos developed and then compare the hardcopy pictures with what your screen shows you.
22 Sep 2007 8:31pm
@purelysnow: Thanks purelysnow!
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
My two bits' worth... The sky is far better in today's post. The silhouette of the trees against the sky is much better as well. Although with yesterday's I was better able to see the campfire glow... now that could be my monitor. Good luck, eh?!!
22 Sep 2007 8:43pm
Craiger from Vacaville, California, United States
Thanks for the two bits worth! I always appreciate your comments and feedback! I also appreciate your directness and your enthusiasm! I'll get this thing licked yet! This has been a great opportunity for me. I've learned a lot already. It will just make me a better photographer. :0)
22 Sep 2007 9:00pm
Rebecca from Leicester, United Kingdom
On my monitor the sky appears a much deeper/darker blue for today’s shot, Craiger. I must agree it adds further richness to the shot!! Have a blessed weekend! :)
22 Sep 2007 11:10pm
@Rebecca: Thanks Rebecca! I really appreciate your feedback!
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
A starlight night to go with your beautiful imagery, well done Craiger :)
23 Sep 2007 3:42am
@Lorraine: Thanks Lorraine!!
bronzebilly u.k. from Barry,Vale of Glamorgan, United Kingdom
hey Craiger--no.2's no.1 pal--nuff said--billy
23 Sep 2007 10:40pm
Markus from Reading, United Kingdom
Like it! The starred sky is amazing!
Regarding the above posts about contrast + saturation: As long as browsers or websites ignore the colour-space (sRGB, Adobe Gamma, Cielab, etc., etc.) of the pictures we all post, they will always look different anyway regardless the differences of any monitor settings, see following link: http://regex.info/blog/photo-tech/
24 Sep 2007 6:45pm
@Markus: The site you reference is the best I've seen that explains color space! Thank you so much for the referral!
Laurie from New Jersey, United States
I like this one. The light from the forest is excellent, the blue is beautiful and deep and rich, and I love the stars.
25 Sep 2007 6:29pm
Walt from Scarborough, Canada
Lovely - I think I remember the previous one, and I liked it as well. Very nice work - makes me want to go hunting in the woods at night...almost...ok, not really.
26 Sep 2007 12:51am
MontereyJohn from Salinas, California, United States
OK Craiger, cut it out! You are making me feel bad.
Excellenet work... and very steady hands :)
27 Sep 2007 1:49am
Daroru from Amagasaki, Japan
A more ominous mood here... is that E.T. I see running along at the bottom...?
27 Sep 2007 3:52pm
M.E. from Encino, CA, United States
Among the 3 pictures - I love this one the best... I read some of the comments regarding how their monitors showed the colors, on mine it looked perfect... Congratulations on a job well done!
4 Oct 2007 12:53am
Daniel from Olympia, United States
interesting image. Some cropping might make it a bit stronger.
13 Oct 2007 9:07pm
Sony DSC-H5
30/1 second
F/2.8
ISO 80
6 mm