<<< o >>>the end of play 45 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

It was the penultimate day of the GPP 2009 training event today and I had two one and a half hour sessions: one on 'unlocking the power of aperture' and the other on 'making the web work for you'. The second was a blast, and it was great to team up with Chase Jarvis and David Hobby and talk about blogging, photography, social networking, and a whole load of other web related topics.

The Aperture session was ok too, but got off to a bad start. The basic idea of the session was to provide a work-through of how to use Aperture to manage and edit images, but about three minutes into the session 15 people stood up and said they were in the wrong session. I assumed they meant they should have been in a different session in a different room, but the problem was that they thought the title of the session referred to aperture, not Aperture; i.e. the hole in the lens rather than the programme. Anyway, not a great start, but it did improve after that.

As for this one: it was shot on Wednesday afternoon during my landscape photography class and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. In terms of the post-processing: as it was deliberately underexposed it only needed a slight tweak in terms of contrast, but I did use a Curve to tone it as the natural light was quite flat and grey.

As always, let me know what you think.

captured
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
4.16pm on 1/4/09
Canon 1Ds Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
38mm
f/8.0
1/2000
aperture priority
-2
evaluative
100
no
RAW
ACR
minor
 
16x9 + travel [Dubai, UAE] + children + photo friday
comment by Kjetil at 02:41 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

I love the dramatic and bright sun, and the way you captured the boy kicking the ball. The color of the sky is also stunning. In my opinion this is one of the best photos you have published in quite a while.

comment by Ilan at 02:48 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

This is truly spectacular result!
I love the unique color which also makes a special kind of atmosphere in the photo.
Great work on that silhouette, from the angle you took the photo it almost looks like the earth is flat.
Shot just at the right time, can't stop enjoying it.

comment by Ilan at 02:49 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Wanted to ask you and forgot in my first comment - Isn't that risky to shot straight into the sun?
Thanks.

comment by L'hurluber.lu at 02:50 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

The light is simply stunning. Love the way she strikes the goal.
So magical instant.

comment by steve at 02:55 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

This is great. Destined to be one of the all time fave DN images, I would say.

comment by Justin Photis at 03:36 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

The silhouette on this one looks pretty good. Nice not to see a 200 floor building sticking up in the background which makes a change in Dubai I guess.
I like the toning too and well done on catching the ball mid-kick.

comment by mikelangelo at 04:07 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

this is really nice. great composition. I like the color...very elegant.

comment by Briony at 04:29 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

i love the color...and the composition is awesome. i would love to take one of your classes.

comment by Mike at 04:46 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Great idea and implementation.

comment by nick at 04:54 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

one of your best, David!

comment by Jessyel Ty Gonzalez at 05:23 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Really great shot, David. Love the color, soft sun lighting, and the action of the boy kicking the ball. Very nice.

comment by Philip Jensen at 05:25 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Wow, I love this. Could you link the orginal image file?

comment by frans at 05:33 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

very nice picture!

comment by Olivier Jules at 06:41 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

that's a stunnig capture!! amazing tones

comment by Jennifer at 07:34 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Just fab!

comment by Krims@nline.be at 08:06 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Superb processing, wel balanced exposure and framing. Well done!

comment by The Obvious at 10:05 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Quite brave toning, but nevertheless typical for your style. Well done on the gradient, it makes the photo look very clean. I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering what is the bright light at the bottom of the horizon (right corner). Is it the reflection of the sun?
Titus

comment by Dan Kaufman at 11:21 PM (GMT) on 3 April, 2009

Ahh, the essence of done simply. I'll have to work on the "toning by curve" technique. I do use a curve to the proverbial blue cast out but have yet to use the technique to apply an overt color tone as you've done here.

I agree with others before me that this one will go into my Nightingale Hall of Fame.

comment by Kevin H. Stecyk at 12:57 AM (GMT) on 4 April, 2009

Beautiful shot David! :)

comment by Jarrard Cole at 01:54 AM (GMT) on 4 April, 2009

Cool colors.

comment by kate at 02:47 AM (GMT) on 4 April, 2009

love it. very natural pose- relaxed hands/arms are subtle but contribute greatly to this portrait- I know after having watched my son play soccer game after game after game as he grew up...... :)

comment by Celanova at 07:55 AM (GMT) on 4 April, 2009

Maravillosa foto. El color impostado, el contraste, la luz, el movimiento detenido...

comment by micha at 02:31 AM (GMT) on 5 April, 2009

Hi Dave, just love it... And it is such an unusual colour for this kind of 'male' action. Just superb in every single angle! Well done!

comment by Laurie at 03:23 AM (GMT) on 5 April, 2009

This is brilliant! What an elegant image.

comment by chiara at 08:57 AM (GMT) on 5 April, 2009

one of my favourites ever!!!!! stunning

comment by Aurore at 09:43 AM (GMT) on 5 April, 2009

je trouve cette photo sublime, un jeu d'ombre réhaussé de ce filtre mauve, j'aime!

comment by Andrew at 06:12 PM (GMT) on 5 April, 2009

I thought the same thing when I first read the title of the session. I guess the program hasn't yet built it's reputation so far that you primarily associate the word with the program rather the the actual aperture. Can you post the original photograph?

comment by Nicki at 09:35 PM (GMT) on 5 April, 2009

This is typical David i think. I'm waiting for such pictures and here it is. Fine ... Thank you and good way hone!

comment by Kholloud at 07:01 AM (GMT) on 6 April, 2009

Hey Dave, what a funny story, that happend also in one of Zack session as it turns ppl started to leave after miss reading 101 showcase !!

anyway.. what a superb image, simple yet amazing .. last week was awful in terms of photogrpahy but we loved it over here in emirates so hope you enjoyed it.

comment by Rich at 09:52 AM (GMT) on 6 April, 2009

Crikey Dave...awesome lighting and comp; another sterling shot this one!

comment by seb at 12:20 PM (GMT) on 6 April, 2009

Awesome silhouette and color

comment by Paul C at 04:21 PM (GMT) on 6 April, 2009

Brilliant! Love this capture, the hint of light on the cross bar is great with the strong silhouette of the rest.

Pin sharp and not a sign of any HDR-ing! :o)

comment by Dave Carrington at 07:41 PM (GMT) on 6 April, 2009

Fine shot, Dave. That light is superb!

comment by will pattison at 06:44 AM (GMT) on 7 April, 2009

'sup, djn1! i'm finally back in front of a computer, so i can truly appreciate this photograph now. it looked good last week in dubai, but the projector just didn't do it justice. i agree with whoever said this is one of your best.

good times at gpp. at a minimum, i hope to see you there again next year!

wp.

comment by David Chabashvili at 11:58 AM (GMT) on 7 April, 2009

Excellent shot! Love the color!

comment by djn1 at 07:10 PM (GMT) on 7 April, 2009

Thanks everyone :)

Ilan: risky in what way?

Justin: if you point your camera out towards the Gulf it's a pretty peaceful scene :)

Philip: I haven't had time to put the original up but may well link to it when I get back.

The Obvious: it's a reflection of the sun on the sea.

Dan: using a Curve is a great way to tone an image.

will: hope to see you again too.

comment by sven at 09:40 PM (GMT) on 7 April, 2009

Wow, its just amazing.

comment by mooch at 10:11 PM (GMT) on 7 April, 2009

Everything about this shot is great. Amazing gradient to the tone. A really perfect composition and the silhouette is dynamic.

comment by travis manley at 04:29 PM (GMT) on 11 April, 2009

excellent shot, I love silhouettes and the color of the sky is really nice.

comment by Tom at 02:29 PM (GMT) on 12 April, 2009

Beautiful colours and really sharp definition.

comment by SePp at 02:49 PM (GMT) on 24 April, 2009

nice sillhouette picture!

comment by Peter at 03:31 PM (GMT) on 18 May, 2009

great shot

comment by jerj at 01:00 PM (GMT) on 25 June, 2009

nice colors!

comment by Jim (365,000 words) at 12:45 PM (GMT) on 31 July, 2009

Don't need to say much more than: great silhouette.

comment by nick barnett at 09:43 AM (GMT) on 24 April, 2010

great shot