Thank you so much everyone! I started this project as a little personal experiment, I really had no idea it would receive such votes and comments. I'm extremely proud and happy.
The original image is very big: 10.000x10.000 pixels (i.e. 100Mp). I decided to work on such canvas because of this strange looking sky: while I started with several photos of the sky that I deformed accordingly, I painted the colors by hand (using a graphics tablet). Such size helped to hide brush strokes as much as possible. This is the first time I dared to venture in that area, and I must confess I really had a blast doing so, even if I am terrible at it!
Once the sky was done, I decided to go on working on the same file without resizing, just for fun... which forced me to stitch several photos as a panorama to create the ground (7 vertical photos I believe). I found this place while venturing through the woods and moor next to where I live.
The overall idea was adjusted several times, I really had a hard time to define what action to depict. I finally opted for these "priests" in red, and this slick orange sphere. Another option would have been a black monolith, but someone else already chose that option ;-)
Thank you all again, I'm very grateful.
Statistics
Place: 1 out of 55 Avg (all users): 8.1899 Avg (commenters): 9.4783 Avg (participants): 7.6579 Avg (non-participants): 8.3583 Views since voting: 12022 Views during voting: 487 Votes: 158 Comments: 59 Favorites: 18 (view)
I scored you 10. Whether people like your expert editing level or not... I bet each and every one of them secretly can't wait to see what you produce next.
Was it Albert Einstein who said; "Imagination is more important than knowledge" ? ;)
I really like this. But how much of it is actual photography?
To me it's (Digiatl Art at it's Best) but not Photography, and isn't that what this website is all about? Photography.
Amazing as always. However, like I said, the reflection should be more on top of the sphere IMO.
Thanks :-) I don't mind criticism at all. After all, I can always simply discard it ;-)
About the shadow and reflections, I made real life simulation of the situation (using a ping-pong ball and a glass ball as well) in order to reproduce something sensible. According to my observations, the results highly depends on the material of the sphere and of course its color. With materials that are a bit mat, objects reflected gets blurry very quickly with the distance, which is why I mostly reflected sky colors on the upper part. Maybe I overdid that effect though. Thanks a lot anyway for sharing your thoughts, I appreciate it a lot!
You're attention to detail and your humbleness after winning inspires me. There are really only 2 people that I religiously check online for new work. You and Max Sauco. I thought it was cool that you mentioned him in your DPchat interview.
Congrats again on your win and Thank you for the explanations that you give.
Ok, i`m not a great fan of digital art here at DPC probably because i`m crap at it.
But by George this is just unbelievable. I didn`t vote but how can anyone score this less than 10.
Did a quick query there, and Librodo, you and William88 are tied for the most 8's. Reckon you have more in you? :-)
Well, while these stats are fun stuff, it is always hard to compare such scores (different challenges, different rules sets, different voters, etc). All I can say is that I'll keep entering challenges that inspire me, and I'll try to do my best each time!
Amazing as always. However, like I said, the reflection should be more on top of the sphere IMO.
Thanks :-) I don't mind criticism at all. After all, I can always simply discard it ;-)
About the shadow and reflections, I made real life simulation of the situation (using a ping-pong ball and a glass ball as well) in order to reproduce something sensible. According to my observations, the results highly depends on the material of the sphere and of course its color. With materials that are a bit mat, objects reflected gets blurry very quickly with the distance, which is why I mostly reflected sky colors on the upper part. Maybe I overdid that effect though. Thanks a lot anyway for sharing your thoughts, I appreciate it a lot!
^ Why would I criticize this? Well, I know you strive for perfection and never fail to amaze. But don't want you to get too comfortable ;D
I've been reading about the mind and the best way to improve is for a person to focus on his/her mistakes. e.g. Michael Jordan missed more shots than anyone … hehe.
So going against the grain and telling you something feels off to me here. Meaning I would have given it an 8. Harsh I know ;)
Amazing as always. However, like I said, the reflection should be more on top of the sphere IMO.
Incredible image! Congratulations on the 8+ well deserved. My scores always have a bell curve yours only has half a bell something I strive to get some day (hopefully on the positive side like yours),
The sky is truly incredible. I keep staring at it and trying to figure out how in the world you can create something like that! It truly boggles the mind.
This is stunning. It's exactly the location I'd choose to give birth to a sphere :) It can't roll away!. The post processing, light, shade, shadows, and cloud/sun vortex are stunning. The kiss of light (rimlight) on the fore priest and reduced kiss of light on the rear priests is masterful. Good luck.
The graphic quality is unparalleled, but what takes it to the next level is the way you find and capture the photo graphical backgrounds. intense shot. 10 for sure.
Brilliantly done, but I shudder to consider that that is a giant celestial birth canal. Conceptually classic, stunning lighting for this genre, right down to the reflections under the ball baby. I'd say the winner in this class.
This must be getting a ton of comments. I have viewed it at least 10 times and each time I am in awe. The dessert setting is fantastic for this image to work well. The bare trees in the BG add immensely to the overall feel. Defines the challenge. And done with all the expert detail of a professional movie maker.
I would imagine that this will be the winner of this challenge and I see no reason why that should not be.In my view it is excellent both technically and in its artistic vision.
for me the sphere is to perfect looks like a photoshop graphic, i like the excellent detail in the robes and the sticks in the ground, the work on the clouds is excellent as is the silhouette of the trees and the red tone, had it been a burning sun say then id have scored you higher. 8
Outstanding! I love when a highly edited image looks like it COULD be a real photo (obviously the brain tells me it isn't, but the eyes tell me it could be). Nice work
Newborn
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