topic Re: Beauty in Share Your Photos

Beauty

SignifDigits — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 01:04:46 GMT

Perhaps Majesty might be better but thought it would be fun to play off LeeP's "Beauty" post and a recent thread talking about "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Just snagged this off the back porch - saw it, grabbed the camera off the table, stepped outside and shot - 70mm seemed about right and the view didn't last long. The wife and I had just watched TV and I looked outside and noticed "golden hour" type light and was mentioning to her, and looked out to see the reason for the great light during a break between storms.

I'd appreciate if if you let me know which one you vote for as far as composition. SOOC except for WB = "Shady" (which it was) and style= "Faithful". Looking at it on a large calibrated screen I think it needs nothing else, and most especially as a large print.

Re: Beauty

stevet1 — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 02:27:19 GMT

SignifDigits,

As far a composition goes, there is not enough of a difference to make a decision. Both pictures contain the same elements. I can see where you shifted the camera slightly (ever so slightly) upwards in your second shot, but not enough to make any appreciable difference. They are both good shots.

Steve Thomas

Re: Beauty

LeeP — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 04:18:19 GMT

I like these. The picture I posted was out of creative boredom and sarcasm about the juxtaposition of a beauty parlor next to a vacant lot with scattered tires, thus ironic. Your pictures are lovely. Those kind of atmospheric gems don't happen in Kern County during summer. You are rather fortunate. I enjoyed your post. Thank you.

Re: Beauty

LeeP — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 04:56:48 GMT

PS: The "calibrated screen" mention was a hoot. As a working photographer I of course have a calibrated screen, so I see things as they are. Your images would sell as a diptych because they are spot on tonally.

Re: Beauty

SignifDigits — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:15:11 GMT

Thanks Steve. I am having a bit of trouble in my mind whether I prefer the bit of tree helping complete the framing at the bottom versus having a small gap at the bottom and having a bit more cloud at the top. Yes, I just did a quick shift of the lens.

Re: Beauty

SignifDigits — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:26:21 GMT

I very much enjoyed your sarcasm which is why I thought it whimsical to title mine the same. Thank Lee. I am blessed to live where I live. Wildlife, fireflies, amazing scenes in the sky, and even rainbows in my back yard (twice). I didn't quite catch it on film this week when I saw it a second time, but was lucky enough to do so in 2020. Color saturation and luminance on all but green is enhanced in these to highlight the rainbow.

Re: Beauty

stevet1 — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 11:58:36 GMT

So, did you find your pot of gold at the end of that rainbow?

Steve Thomas

Re: Beauty

SignifDigits — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 12:21:50 GMT

Yes!

Re: Beauty

SignifDigits — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 12:58:19 GMT

Red filter and sharpened a bit for a B&W version just for Lee and Ramsden. Sometime soon I'll have to make the difficult decision which one to print!

Re: Beauty

LeeP — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:18:31 GMT

Green is a color we see in Kern County in spring when the weeds grow, but of course by the end of April it is summer until often the end of October, so the green turns to gold as all the weeds die and dry up. Then the gold changes to black with the inevitable brush fires. We also have a lot of grey in the winter from fog. Such a picturesque land I live in.

It's annoying when you can see the rainbow but it doesn't photograph like you see it.

Your cloud pictures would be fun as a diptych with the second one given a horizontal flip.

Re: Beauty

SignifDigits — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:33:08 GMT

Yes. Eyes ≠ camera. Maybe the biggest challenge in photography. Color, depth of field, sharpness and depth perception are all not the same there. I know the mountain always seem closer to my eye than in photos. Same with the moon. I wonder if someone will ever endow cameras with a variable zone depth perception/zoom that our brains employ.