The funny thing about a photography site with focused topics is that a good concept poorly photographed can sometimes beat technically perfect photos of common scenes. Right here is the proof: a pretty good idea, but yechhh! I'll be totally embarrassed if this hits blue, so I'm hoping for a Larus or Kiwiness entry to beat me. (Post challenge: Hooray for Larus!)
The original plan was to have her levitating in the dark, surrounded by fog, with beams of light coming from a book with the word "Spells" on the cover. There would be butterflies flying out of the book and glitter sprinkled in the light. The title was going to be "Spellbound." Well so much for the original plan! The word Spells (in an Old English font) wasn't clear enough. I tried to rig up a work light with a cool fluorescent bulb and a colander placed over it for the beams of light, but it was too bulky to hide behind the book so I covered the light in aluminum foil with holes poked in it. Still too bulky to hide, and it finally dawned on me that I'd have to clone out a power cord. Duh. At this point, it's 10:30 on deadline night and I have nothing.
OK, OK... the floating trick: those of you who thought this was a photo composite, oversized print, double exposure, etc... you're all WRONG! My model is really up there, and I didn't clone out a ladder, shelf or forklift to do it. She's sitting on a bicycle seat that's suspended from a ceiling beam with almost-invisible 80lb fishing line. It was difficult for her to balance AND cross her legs, so I had to put the couch there for peace of mind. Even so, this was a very tough pose since she only had one heel on the very tip of the bicycle seat to support her legs. It looked convincing, but dull with just her in the shot. Model number two- you sit right there, open your mouth and look amazed. Major props to my daughters for being great, um... props. The light in the book was simply a 580ex flash in slave mode triggered by another one on the camera. I tried like crazy to dial down the output on that %#@& slave, but no luck and it was really late. I wrapped a couple sheets of paper over the flash, but it still blew out everything. *sigh* It''ll have to do.
Alrighty then... I get everything in place and have my helper hit the fog machine. Bad idea. In 5 seconds the whole room is a murky cloud, and when the flashes go off, all you can see is blinding white. Ugh! I had to turn on the ceiling fan, open all the windows and wait for the room to clear. Finally downloaded the shots to my computer about 30 minutes before the deadline (the kids were sound asleep 5 minutes later).
In my haste, I totally screwed this up in Photoshop. Converted from RAW twice- once for normal exposure, and again as dark as I could get it to rescue some detail from the blown out face. Cloned out the faint fishing lines and a bit of bicycle seat peeking below her feet. Used the Patch tool to even out slight variations in the background wall. The rest was typical stuff: Crop, Levels, USM, Channel Mixer, HSM. With the exception of a completely blown out face, the untouched RAW file looked better than this disaster... and now I'll be stuck with it in my top scores for a loooong time. Lesson learned: if at first you don't succeed, improvise (but leave plenty of time for Photoshop)! ;-)
This is what it should have looked like:
Statistics
Place: 2 out of 127 Avg (all users): 7.4661 Avg (commenters): 8.1163 Avg (participants): 6.9483 Avg (non-participants): 7.6503 Views since voting: 23540 Views during voting: 808 Votes: 221 Comments: 107 Favorites: 24 (view)
LOL....just going through previous winning challenges for the "Deja Vu" challenge and remembered seeing this shot when I first became a member at DPChallenge. I remember being amazed at this shot and still am!
Of course, I don't have a beam that I'm going to suspend a bike seat from, but it suddenly struck me...........
You KNOW you're into photography so badly when you're willing to suspend your child from a ceiling and put a couch underneath as a "safety net"....."Just in case"! LOL
I've got a great idea for another shot that I don't think I can pull off for a few months if you want to collaborate on another in this theme PM me... :)
you know, I just read through all the comments about drab lighting and harsh lighting from the book and all.
Do people ever see a picture for a picture anymore? I thought the same thing, I admit, then I thought: "But magic books are SUPPOSED to be blindingly bright" seriously, I thought you did it on purpose. A little smoke something to make the light stream really would have been the icing on this.
And the drab lighting on the rest? I LOVED it. The magical meeting the ordinary in a stark contrast, amazing happenings intruding on our everyday monotonous environs, even the walls are barren of life or painting or imagination. Oi. Ve.
Or maybe I'm reading too much into it and your living room is just a zen sanctuary? hrm..
Starting to think the site should have a congrats script and dedicated icon we can just click to applaud your creativity and photography talents Shannon. You certainly are in a leaugue of your own.
(wish I could spell and didn't have to edit everything I write)
Ohh my... another crazy idea!!!!! Poor girls!!! Just kidding, because I know they love to help you with your pictures!!! By the way, finally I can see the girls faces!!!! Good shot! Congrats!!!!
I must say that this is a wonderful shot, and when I say it on voting expected it to do very well. Also, thank you for the run-down on how this was achieved, as I was really impressed.
Congrats!!
Shannon,
Fantastic work, as always! (Actually, I think this shot looks more natural and convincing than your "fixed" version. For instance, the floating girl's hair on the top of her head appears too dark in the fixed version when compared with other things in the room lit from above.)
LOL about the "worst 7+ image, technically" comment, and your response!! ;-)
I cannot believe the extremes you go to to get a shot! You are so creative. I might have been able to come up with that idea, but would not have taken the time to do that. I knew this was yours too! Floating kids is your trademark now! Congrats on your ribbon......AGAIN.
even with the explanation it's hard to believe how you pulled this off. i didn't vote in this but it's one of the only photos i saw when i browsed, and would've handed you a 9 (didn't like the blown highlights) but wow... you keep pushing it a bit further.
You are incredible. I cannot believe the amount of effort you put into your shots.
I think I admire your daughters even more for putting up with your antics way past bedtime. They're real dolls.
Congrats on your second place !
At least I'm learning what's technically sound, given my comment and your description.
But I'm actually glad to see that, from time to time, this site rewards terrific concepts over pure technical merit! It leaves hope for the rest of us. ;)
I didn't take part in this challenge, but I have to tell how super this image is. You worked hard to get it (as did your charming assistants ;-)but it's obviously been worth the effort. Congrats on your well deserved red.
You just continue to astound me with your creativity Shannon, its not just your concepts, but the way you problem solve to achieve results like this, you are a genius!!!!!!
Always a pleasure looking at your work, keep it up
I love the photogs comments - this is, in strictly technical terms, the worst 7+ image I've seen on this site in a long time. However, it's very clever, amusing and deftly titled.
You just can't tell you have this enormous brain power that you actually can lift things... com'n say it... I mean with all those ribbons, do you think I believe you are from this world? Hmmm? You can't fool me man, too old for that... too old for anything... I think my brain cells are dying faster now... where was I? Oh yeah... DHUEEEEE DHUEEEEE *Drool more*
you comment is so darn funny....made me laugh and laugh...and man you are right...sometimes you don't have to be techincal...and you still can ribbon...but only you can get away with that! you know it, everyone knows it! great capture though...no brokens limps I presume....
Congrats! So you hang your kids from ceilings have them pose with toy planes on ledges... what's next? A reanactment of Michael Jackson dangling his baby? :P
Being a magician and a photographer I knew there was something great about this image Shannon. Good for you pulling this off the way you did. I think it is great. Congrats to you.
You are just totally awesome! A legend for these types of shots! It may not be exactly as YOU planned it. ..but for this challenge, it is most definitely worthy of award winning status!
Congratulations! I guess it's good you don't have to suffer through a blue ribbon, so this is perfect, right? tee heee
Great job, Shannon. I didn't shoot or score this one, but would have pulled this out as yours if I had! You da man! Again you earn huge respect from me.
Terrific concept, great "How was THAT done?" material. Marred by lackluster technicals and drab surrounding colors, plus extreme blowout on the face of the levitating child.
Neat concept and execution. I think the lighting could be improved though. Most the image is pretty flat yet the "magical light" is a little too intense blowing out her face. The models are cute as a button!
I gotta guess Shannon on this one. Very well done. The face on the girl on the couch is priceless. I'd like to know the trick behind it and hope it isn't a print. Doesn't look like it to me though. 9
Haha I think this might be Scalvert... though I dont remember how old his children are... he has done things like this before. Its fun, and I like it. 7
Ohymgosh! HOW did you do that! I SURE hope you explained it. I will definitely be going back at the end of the challenge to check it out. Course this one will probably be one of the top 3, so that will be easy to do :) Maybe that's a photo cut out. If it is. . .what a PERFECT job you did with it! Amazing! 10
how did you do this?! that's awesome creativity! I love the look on the little girl's face...the lighting overall looks a little flat, but that's minor 9
you did a great job with this effect, I hope the fact that it was done here recently doesnt hurt your score. hopefully the voters treat you fair. this deserves alot high #.
unless it was done by you :-) Congrats on the Ribbon.
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