The Blue Mountains

[Barry Beckham]

Another Slide Show called The Blue Mountains, but reluctant to post on SSC or I might get accused of hogging it and have to change my name to Eric 

[JRR]

Very nice show Barry.

I know you have access to an extensive library of royalty free music, but I wasn't sure if that music was from there. I am curious as You Tube always jumps on me when I use copyrighted music (Which I understand) But they also frequently object when I use royalty free music too. 

Do you have any secrets in how to deal with this?

[Barry Beckham]

I do have a secret, it's to ignore it all  Music copyright changes hands so often from artist to record company back to artist that YouTube don't really have a hope of being up to date in all situations.

You can find whole albums on YouTube, so we AV enthusiasts are not part of the problem.

[JRR]

thx Barry

[jevans]

Hi Barry,

I have watched, enjoyed and marveled at many of your AV shows in the past, but, to my disappointment, this did not quite catch my attention as your previous shows have done.  I like the opening sequence, the music and the ending 3 or 4 slide sequence.  But although you had an interesting story to tell, it seemed to me that you were short of enough different images to cover it.  There were quite a few similar shots of the same landscape and I kept thinking to myself, I have seen that shot already. 

Another issue is the question of whether movement is relevant.  I am part of an UPP Av group where some of the members use panning and zooming rather a lot and I think movement like this needs to have a definite purpose.  Out of the 33 or so images, I counted 10 where you had used movement.  The second image where you zoomed out from the cavern and the twelfth image where you had a lovely long deep zoom out, were excellent.  Not quite so sure about the others, particularly the pans.

Of course this is, as ever, just my own point of view and I hope you do not mind me giving an honest comment.

 

Jeff

[Barry Beckham]

Of course I don't mind you giving an honest comment. I would rather you said that you were so moved by the sequence that you will play it once a week from now on   but that's not entirely realistic is it.

Honesty is the best policy every time and you have hit on the one thing that went through my mind while making it. The main area of interest is the three sisters, but you're right, how many images can you include of them and get away with it?  I thought I had, or might, but then again my view is coloured by the fact that some were shot under different light conditions and I told myself that would be a sufficient variation. I do have other images of the place and I may be able to find one or two I am happy with, but I can't bring myself to put images I am not entirely happy with into a side show. I'd rather dump the show than do that.

The issue here is, if the very thoughts you raised were in my head at the time, why didn't I deal with them at the time? Because we convince ourselves it is OK for reasons only a neuroscientist may be able to answer. Its that old thing that when we are in full creative flow there is no stopping us.

Just looked at it again, there are some nice images there, even if I say so myself.  

 

 

[JRR]

Hi Barry and Jeff:

Thought I would chime in as well.

I haven't watched it every day/week, but I have watched it about 5 times and fwded the link to a few people in Australia who I thought might like to see a beautiful portrayal of part of their country.

But I think this is first AV of yours Barry that I was "uncomfortable" with. The information provided was excellent, the music was well chosen and synched, but I tend to agree with Jeff re the number of similar images. In the vein of one AV guideline: "leave them wanting more" I had seen more than enough of the Three Sisters, even though they were all excellent. 

I agree with not wanting to put images in that you are not happy with, but the other option of course is to shorten it a bit. But I am sure the "Blue Mountains" are more than just the Three Sisters and other images would work.

"Know your target audience" also comes in to play as well. If I were planning a trip to the Blue Mountains, I would be very interested in seeing (perhaps more) Three Sisters images from all angles and lighting conditions before I went to help me plan the visit, but as a general interest audience participant, "less is more" comes into play.

[jevans]

(Barry has posted a revised version over the original)

Hi Barry,

I like this revised version much better.  In fact this is much more like a "Barry Beckham" show of the kind which I have admired so much.  The addition of different images keeps the interest going and the slightly shorten version suits the story much better.  I also like the fact that you have removed some of the pans : I think panning has to be used with a lot of care and have a definite purpose.  You certainly have some superb images here.  Thanks for the revised version.

Jeff

 

[JRR]

EXCELLENT!!!

[Antbrewer]

Hi Barry,

I have been reading these posts with interest  following your initial AV of the Blue Mountains.

Having been there with Carolyn when she lived in Sydney before she moved up to Buderim we spent a few days touring and stayed in a cabin in some small village. Even though we went walking along the trails deep in the forests I found it difficult to take a great variety of images. There was a sameness with so many of them. The area is so vast and my photographic ability didn't do justice to this part of Australia. However I do feel that your revised version Barry does such justice to this area with some super images. I have to say that I much prefer this later AV than the first. I really enjoyed this.

So now you have three first class AVs of this trip and I have no doubt that there will be more to come . It is Barry isn't it??????

Anthony

[Barry Beckham]

Thank you all for the comments.

Anthony, its not that easy to get the variation needed at the Blue Mountains. As you say, if you get off the tracks, your in the forest with no view at all. I am sure some of the all day walks might reveal something, but I am past that. There are walks and then there are the Bear Grylls type stuff 

I do have another slideshow,  but it's very short and hopefully sweet.  I did an experiment with filters and just can't make my mind which to go with. The standard shots or the filtered ones, maybe both. I keep watching it every day or so and I like them both. I do have some good history images of Ballarat, but not even thought of where to go with that.

I will save something for the winter, you know, when we are snowed in with freezing temperatures  Remember, it can get down to 13c here in winter. It's almost enough to change out of shorts