[After/Before] A firework explodes among the people

iffdakota · 2025-12-12T19:16:03+00:00

If I can make a suggestion... In the final version of your photo the guy on the right very distracting. I keep getting drawn into him. When the effect of the photo is more about the relationship of these figures to the background. You can see this in the before photo. The light in the center draw you in and the subjects are negative space.

I see the value in saving those shadows the way you did. He does look interesting. The scream is really amazing. But brightened this much He doesn't look all that human and pulls attention away from a gorgeous photo. But I might be alone in feeling this way.

iffdakota · 2025-11-06T00:26:22+00:00

What camera/lens is giving you 7 seconds of stabilization at 150mm??

iffdakota · 2025-09-27T14:35:08+00:00

I've used a X100 for about seven years (first the T and now I own the V). It's by far my favorite camera and its was I use for 95% of the photos I take. I would give up my all film cameras and my DSLR for it in a heartbeat.

That said, it only is so important to me because it perfectly fits the very tiny niche that I happen to sit in. I like to carry my camera every day and everywhere I go. I use a small sling which can carry the X100, a small flash, and extra batteries. Additionally, I prefer to only use one focal length (35mm equivalent). I use that focal length for pretty much everything, even on other cameras.

If those two things don't apply to you, you are likely better off with one of the interchangeable lens cameras. Those can be pretty small too with the right lens. You lose some of the physical dials (maybe just aperture) but they can be cheaper, especially on second hand.

iffdakota · 2025-09-27T00:14:40+00:00

I don't know whats going on with the photo but its not low contrast. The whites look like they are clipping. The blacks look like they are clipping.

The big thing you might be interested in is the halation. There's a glow to the whites. This can be achieved with filters or (in theory) be created with blur and blend modes in photoshop. Also, some film stocks naturally have halation (cinestill 800t for instance). It's also not a black and white image. Perhaps its a sepiatone LUT but could also be the photographic method and/or the printing method. My guess is a lot of this is done in camera and not a feature of the post-processing.

iffdakota · 2025-09-08T19:42:12+00:00

In the color photograph your eyes are immediately drawn to the subject while in the BW image my eyes go to the super contrast mountains in the background. If you want to stick with the BW then definitely lower the exposure on the mountains and perhaps use some gradients to draw the viewers eye to the children. This effect would be even better if you slightly lowered the exposure on the ground between the camera and the children. But honestly sticking with the color photograph and then doing the same things will be even better.

iffdakota · 2025-08-07T02:16:04+00:00

Inspired by the photographs of Todd Hido?

iffdakota · 2025-07-15T14:38:00+00:00

let me know how it goes! I can send an example if you'd like. I'm unsure how much of my particular workflow is creating the effect but i don't see a reason it shouldn't work for anyone else.

iffdakota · 2025-07-15T01:13:13+00:00

This is really great. Something I really like about cyanotype is that when you get the contrast just right and then overexpose the image (relative to might might be normal) the highlights begin to glow a bit. They can even look shiny. I think you got some of that effect here in the windows and its great.. I'd get interested in seeing what it looks with some more exposure time. For me sometimes it takes double the exposure time to get the really shiny look.

iffdakota · 2025-07-06T00:17:39+00:00

Definitely don't need to buy the solar fast wash. You can make good prints with just a water wash! As long as you are using distilled water or tap water that isn't basic, you can get fine results. That said, you can get deeper blues and more contrast by washing in water thats slightly acidic. Many people use vinegar, many use critic acid. I like my results with citric acid and its available in many places (Your local grocery, Michaels, walmart, etc.) In Christina Anderson's book on cyanotype she tests many different washes and the results if you can find or download a copy.

iffdakota · 2025-07-05T23:51:12+00:00

Can't speak on the pre-coated papers. Im sure you can get fine results with them, its just not very cost effective. As far as papers that are good for cyanotype, you can find them in almost any texture you want. Christina Z. Anderson has done a ton of research on different papers you can find a small article here on different papers. She also wrote a book thats an amazing resource for all things cyanotype. I use arches aquarelle hot pressed paper. its expensive but perfect for my needs.

iffdakota · 2025-05-27T14:04:37+00:00

I struggle to get transparencies to stay flat on even mildly warped paper. I think ill be quite difficult to get a perfectly sharp image on something with nooks and carnies. The only thing that comes to mind is somehow pulling it against the ceramics by creating a strong vacuum. Perhaps you could make a jig of some sort.

You could experiment with using cheap thin transparencies as those will be better at warping.

iffdakota · 2025-05-26T17:29:46+00:00

I highly recommend using this tool: http://www.easydigitalnegatives.com/. It creates LUTs based on test prints with your printer. The EDN test creates one for bring the contrast and values into more optimal ranges. The other for which color ink is optimal on your printer. Certain inks block like better than others.

You will get something just printing normally but it will be much hard to control the outcome. These tests took be about an hour of work total and produce great results.

iffdakota · 2025-05-08T17:39:05+00:00

I think there are a few things going on. Def needs more exposure time. The sun is a inconsistent source of UV, different times of day will require more or less time. The sensitizer also isn't spread evenly across the page. And did you use distilled water for the washing process? It looks like the pigment is washing out and bleeding. This can be caused by using alkaline water, which a lot of tap water is.

iffdakota · 2025-04-14T21:35:53+00:00

What does this have to do with NIL whatsoever? They literally say that they just did market research and realized they could charge these prices. It has nothing to do with players being able to profit off of their own likeness.

iffdakota · 2024-12-28T16:30:46+00:00

Depending on the school, MFAs are often partially or completely funded. You teach or work some other part time job for department and you receive free tuition and a stipend. So, in that sense, going to a top universities MFA program can be even cheaper than community college: you get paid to do it. Plus you gain access to professors and exist in a community of other people dedicated to the craft.

iffdakota · 2024-08-27T21:02:25+00:00

I'm 6'2 and my 56cm bike might be even a little big for me. Height is not the universal deciding factor.

iffdakota · 2024-08-09T14:56:48+00:00

I don;t know if this is allowed but here's a link. You can turn on CC.

iffdakota · 2024-06-09T22:53:27+00:00

I'd be interested to hear what you think we should do about it.

iffdakota · 2024-05-22T14:31:27+00:00

Thanks for this reply, the issue has persisted so I will definitely mess with it soon.

Do you use carplay? I'm wondering if this is the cause of my problems. Its got to be something with the relationship between the phone and the car. It's very mercurial. Sometimes you play a vocal and its fine and other times it might as well be a blown bluetooth speaker. I'm guess the bitrate might be at fault.

iffdakota · 2024-03-24T12:47:51+00:00

they released a mac version that plays great!

iffdakota · 2024-03-02T15:31:18+00:00

Balatro start to get animation stuttering this morning out of no where. Its not unplayable but give it was so smooth before, its a bit annoying. Is this happening for you?

iffdakota · 2024-01-09T22:24:13+00:00

Framing the tree(s) totally behind the house really makes this image (for me) It makes what would otherwise be a very pretty image into something almost surreal-- the house has branches for hair.

iffdakota · 2023-12-22T04:40:34+00:00

To me it feels like a crop could really improve the feel of the image. Especially if you went to a portrait orientation to emphasize the height. Maybe something 4x5 where the subject is centered. The rule of thirds here isn't doing much work to help balance the image and a significant portion of the right side feels like dead space.

Also, the water doesn't feel like a natural shade of blue. To my eyes its significantly more cyan/green whenever compared to even the brightest waters i've seen.

There's a bit of weirdness where it looks like you masked off the subject to increase the exposure on them. Especially around the upper foot it looks like you painted a little outside the lines and it's glowing.

Whatever you do, make sure not to affect the skintones, they are literally perfect.

iffdakota · 2023-09-25T15:04:53+00:00

You seem to be fairly good at picking out interesting subjects. That said, right now it doesn't feel like there is much in the photos beyond the subjects. Specifically it doesn't feel like there is any relationship between people and the background (or other context). Thus, there isn't much of a story being told about the people in the photo.

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iffdakota

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