g+ Sunset

Mike Downes  -  Aug 26, 2011  -  Public

And then the finished shot was...or was it? Being critical, I could do a lot more, but as a purest at heart (I grew up with darkrooms, chemicals, film and those red lights) I don't believe in too much post shot editing.

More photos from Mike Downes

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13 comments

Janet E Davis  -  I've worked with collections of 19th century photographs - including glass plate negatives - and it was clear from them that "post shot editing" has been normal since the early decades of photography. I certainly learned at least the basics of burning & dodging. I've also hand-coloured prints for someone to cover up unwanted flash bounce. I regard digital image editing as just the equivalent of developing and processing in the darkroom.

Aug 27, 2011   

Mike Downes  -  Thanks, a while back I had a copy of Adobe CS5 and after all the messing around with post edit, I settled back again to Google's Picasa, so fast and easy. Yes, I know when something is detailed it's back to pro edit. But as I am a text blogger first, photographer 2nd and videographer 3rd, I just want to get published asap.

One think that intrigues me, is the whole tilt shift approach where, it seems picasa can do a I'm feeling lucky and a soft spot focus and results are quite dramatic. I have not found such good results making HDR photos that way though - can't win them all.

Aug 27, 2011   

Janet E Davis  -  I miss Photoshop. I had Adobe CS3 when I worked on a project a few years ago. I like the subtler effects that one can achieve with Photoshop. I currently use a mix of the software that came with my Canon 450D and iPhoto.
I do fake tiltshift using an app on my iPod Touch occasionally. It works best with some angles, shapes and lighting than others.
I do love your photo - lovely lighting and interesting subject.

Aug 27, 2011   

Mike Downes  -  I've just had a read of your blog, I live 5 mins walk of Kenilworth Castle and keep threatening to go there and take some shots. It seems the only reason people vaguely know Kenilworth is of the castle ruin. Still, that beat the supa commercial Warwick Castle. When I was 16, I studied the photo greats and came away with simple truths like, the best zoom lens is your legs and it's all about thirds and we read from left to right and that's the way I eye sees photos (usually). I think I cried for a week when I sold a Mamiya C330 on eBay and that was the harsh reality that film was over and digital was the new silver halide on the block.

Aug 27, 2011   

Shaun Case  -  I tend to use Lightroom to mess around with the images that the light meter doesn't cope with well. Interestingly I am toying with using Picasa instead but am holding back as I know Lightroom too well.

Aug 27, 2011   

Mike Downes  -  +Shaun Case Picasa is just click n slide stuff, basic, but effect for bloggers on the go. One cool function of picasa is, have it open on desktop, then PRNT SCRN and image opens in picasa, I use this all the time..

Aug 27, 2011   

Janet E Davis  -  Film isn't over, Mike, but I do love not having to worry about how much it will cost to develop my films, and not having rolls in bottoms of drawers or bags that I can't remember whether or not I've used.
Cameras are just another picture-making tool for me - but I'm rarely without some form of camera.
Don't threaten to go to Kenilworth Castle (one very familiar by name, though I've never visited it) - just go and take photos. Autumn can be a great time to photograph ancient monuments, with the sun at a lower angle within monument opening hours.

Aug 27, 2011   

Janet E Davis  -  You've reminded me, Shaun, that I should perhaps give Picasa another try for tweaking photos. I don't use it as my main online photos place at present.

Aug 27, 2011   

Mike Downes  -  +Janet E Davis have you seen my whatsinkenilworth.com site? There are 1,000+ photos of the town. I will go to the castle, prefer this type of shot, photo journo and picasa tweaking i.e. the proposed railway station (that never happened): http://goo.gl/b4FBa

Aug 27, 2011   

Janet E Davis  -  +Mike Downes Interesting. I'm curious about what people put/want in hyper-local sites. I've wondered if we should have one for our area but am reluctant to be the person who starts it. I expected whatsinkenilworth, just from the website name, to be about places and events for tourists and locals but it seems to be mostly about security and planning issues.
I realised that my first thoughts about what I'd want to see in a hyper-local website about my area reflect very much my professional interests - providing space for people to share their old photos and local history research (and advertising for local businesses), and news of work to improve local parks. I need to rethink because I know security is, of course, an issue. I also realise that one of my friends would first think of information for parents, carers, and asylum seekers because those are the groups with which she works.
Thank you for provoking much thought on communities and new media - from a discussion about a relatively old medium :-)

Aug 28, 2011   

Mike Downes  -  In April 2010, I was fed up with my local paper for reporting the news badly and promising to deliver all for the town. Then, I quickly realised that revolved around an advertising model. So when it said, FIND A BUSINESS and only a handful were there something was wrong.

I listed every shop front in the town purely altruistically and it started from there. In Feb 2011, I was promoted to a press box in a Warwickshire Council meeting, met the BBC and the ball started rolling.

At that point, I had not even heard of the phrase hyperlocal or citizen journalist. But I did take some advice to say, DO NOT decide where you want to grow, just let it grow.

So, I did and asked some questions of the council and helped out where I could like with West Mids Police. Twitter only started for me in Dec 2010 and became a major part.

So, yes, when I looked at Warks population of 535k and Coventry at 300k, I expected more bloggers and there is a tiny handful (3 or 4?).

As for the name, I would not choose whatsinKenilworth again as it is now: Kenilworth, Warwick District, Warwickshire and then Coventry.

Journalism is in decline, online revenue is hard to achieve (hence Times paywall). I can publish in minutes compared to the local paper's max of 9 days (it's a weekly Friday print edition).

Aug 28, 2011   

Earlswood BoD  -  Well I suppose Hyper Local does't take just one person. My interests are very different to my neighbors they want to know about different things locally than I do. I was disappointed when I only managed to find 3 blogs for our area. I am a sort of generalist and the other two specialists. However there are generic subjects that most should be interested in. Thats how I virtually met Mike we were both dissapointed in the way WPA were not represented or making best use of Social networking where as WMP are making great use of it.. So I think a good way to start Hyper Local is to start with your own key interests. It won't be long before you find there are others equally as interested. Just my thoughts on the subject hope you don't mind me butting in.

Aug 28, 2011   

Janet E Davis  -  Really interesting to hear about views on hyper-local news and how you've provided something that's needed. Thanks very much for sharing.

Aug 28, 2011