Here's another one

[Chris_Padgett]

for C & C. This is an example of what we did at Christmas this past year. Any chance of something like this getting a merit. Anyone can comment wether you feel qualified or not, just would like to know what you think.

[Mark_Levesque]

That looks pretty good to me. I might try adjusting the step mount to put the center of interest closer to a thirds intersection. And I might try a plainer substrate. While it does go along with the theme, it's a little busy and takes a bit of attention from the image itself.

[D._Craig_Flory]

Hi Chris;

I love this image !!! Since I also love the work of the late Norman Rockwell, it really appeals to me.

Mark nailed the one big problem. For a client, centering the subject layer isn't a problem but for competition it would be.

I'm posting my version where I first changed the bkgrd. layer so it doesn't take attention away from the subject layer. I moved the subjects over so they are on the 3rd quadrant but also fall into the Bakker Saddle. I haven't brought that up before but this image needed it. I've left on top not only my Composition Grid but also my Bakker Saddle. After moving the subject layer, so they were around the 3rd quadrant, I put the bakker saddle on top and then moved it further till they were nestled in it. This is something from Gerhard Bakker and it works great, where needed. Both my grid and the saddle are only at 25% opacity so you, and others, can still the image ok. For anyone who has never heard of Gerhard Bakker ...PPA has an award named after him !

[Keith_A_Howe]

Chris
For some reason I can not see the orginal image so my comments are from the one D Craig posted. I like the norman rockwell type look but there are a few little things I would like to bring up. We are just a bit too tight at the bottom were we almost crop into santas boot, give us just a smidge more floor. The lighting is cross lit and a bit flat. I know that when doing volume work you set your lighting flat so it will work with anything from indiv. to groups but for competition I would suggest dodging the camera left sides of their faces and burning the camera right sides of their faces. I also would dodge out the shadow behind the girl on camera left. This is what really made me question the lighting with a shadow on that side. Santa appears hunched over, get it into the title "Listening to secrets" or something like that.
Keith

[Dave_Cisco]

Excellent critiques. This image should do better than just 80.

[D._Craig_Flory]

Hi Keith and Dave;

I'm curious if either of you have ever used the Bakker Saddle or even heard of it ?

[Chris_Padgett]

Thank you all for taking the time to comment on this image. The original is back up so you should be able to see it. I will work on this image some more, with the dodging and burning and repost it later. Thanks for the step mount D. Craig, I new the way I had it posted didn't look right but I couldn't decide where to put it. I had heard of the Bakker Saddle, but never had seen it used, so thanks for doing that it is a great visual tool. I'll spend some more time on this one!

[Jeff_Dachowski]

Chris ,
Ilike this image alot. Have you tried it with Santa's left foot coming out of the image, and into the step mount? It might give it a reall 3d feel? ALso next year when you do this, make the light a bit more dramatic by moving it to the left a bit more, and blicking some of that light from hitting the background. Try it, see if you like it. It is like a natural vignette.
Jeff

[Keith_A_Howe]

Hi Keith and Dave;

I'm curious if either of you have ever used the Bakker Saddle or even heard of it ?

Yes I have heard of it. I know it as the Bakker Saddle and the golden triangle. I find that it is so close to the thirds that quite often I leave it at that to keep it simple for the majority of the members (why confuse people just to move slightly off the third when we rarely hear it mentioned any more) and to keep my post shorter (in case you hadn't noticed I rarely can keep it short and to the point). The way it is Holly tells me I get off topic and try to put too much info in my post and it is stuff they didn't even ask about. See I'm doing it again.
Keith

[Dave_Cisco]

Hi Keith and Dave;

I'm curious if either of you have ever used the Bakker Saddle or even heard of it ?

Oh yes. As a matter of fact, I noticed that element when I first saw the image come up. Not many people speak of it.