winter

[james millar]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum also new to making slideshows. This is my first show and I'm looking for any helpful criticism. It can be seen at the link below.

Regards Jim M.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mxmszxm9pu0

[Ken Cox]

JIM

very creative show -- neat

ken

[dpeterso]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum also new to making slideshows. This is my first show and I'm looking for any helpful criticism. It can be seen at the link below.

Regards Jim M.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mxmszxm9pu0

Hello Jim -

A warm welcome to the forum. I watched your slideshow and must say that I enjoyed it. You have many fine pictures, and having many fine pictures is a necessary ingredient to a good slideshow. If I may offer a few of my impressions and suggestions on what would make it better for me. I found the colors used in the frame distracting from the beautiful images. I didn't think the "pinkish" accent went with the gold tone matt; they seemed to clash. I think an improvement could be made by switching the framing colors to more "wintery" colors (or lack of colors) such as shades of gray. However Jim, these are just my impressions and certainly don't represent what you personally like or anybody else for that matter. I think a good rule of thumb is to listen to what others have to say, make changes if you agree, and above all, go with what you like. The second suggestion is regarding the use of the vertically oriented pictures. It's not just how you did it, it's when anybody uses them. They seem to break the visual continuity. I've said this before: I don't know how to overcome this "interruption" except to avoid using vertical pictures in a predominately landscape formatted show. Many will likely disagree with me about mixing the two formats. That's okay; it's just a quirk I have.

The music worked well with the mood All in all, very enjoyable.

Regards,

Dave

[fh1805]

Hi Jim,

"..new to making slideshows..."? Pull the other one! I've been building slide-sound sequences for nearly 25 years and I still struggle to produce sequences of that quality.

You clearly have a good grasp of what works and what doesn't. I tend to agree with Dave Peterson's comments above about the difficulties inherent in mixing verticals and horizontals. I thought your use of the "Gate" transitions was a good way of trying to get around the problem. But,as Dave said, it causes an interruption to the smooth flow.

As for the framing, I felt it complemented the images very well. Many of the images had some subtle shades of orange, brown and red in them. So your choice of framing was OK by me.

And the music was an excellent choice to complement the mood of the images.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sequence. I just wish we still got winters like that down here in north Yorkshire.

[Peter S]

Hi Jim,

Welcome to the forum.

There are some really lovely images in your show which I enjoyed very much. I do however agree with Dave in that I found the frame quite distracting. It took something away from the images rather than enhancing them. I don't think it is just the colour it is also rather a fussy frame for my taste but... it is all a matter of taste.

I also struggled with mixing landscape and portrait and somewhere further down the forum you can find a show I called flora's secret where I had a go at overcoming the problem. I thought it worked reasonably well but the subject matter was a bit different and I have not tried it with a landscape show.

One or two professional landscape photographers that I know tend to make many of their prints in portrait format so perhaps we need to have rotating screens .

Your show certainly doesn't look like a first effort good stuff.

Kind regards

Peter

[neil]

Jim,

Really enjoyed the show,some great images.

In my opinion just the thin white border and no frame would improve the look.

Certainly hard to believe it was your first attempt.

All the Best

Neil

[james millar]

Hello All.

Thanks for looking at my show and taking the time to comment on it. Every little bit helps.

I have to admit this was not my first attempt, it was actually my 2nd. I first tried the same show in PSG and was not impressed with the quality.

the same show in P2e was a big improvement, much much sharper. as for the music I picked Mozart's clarinet concerto and made the slideshow to suit.

Although I'm new to making AV's I'm not new to photography which has been my hobby for more than 30 years. It's only since I retired that I have

had the time to concentrate on the AV side of photography.

Thanks again for your comments, they have been duly noted.

Kind Regards, Jim.

[d67]

I'm new to this forum also new to making slideshows. This is my first show and I'm looking for any helpful criticism.

Hello Jim

Most of your picture are excellent. The mix of the white covered trees and those with warm colors is delightful.

Concerning technic

- I just feel that your photos with the car are anachronic with the remainder of the pictures

- some transitions are not perfectly synchronized with the changes of music

- the mix of the vertical shots with the horizontal one is a bit distracting

This is minor and anyway, it is a real pleasure to see and see again your great photos.

Thank you for sharing with us.

Patrick

[morturn]

Hi Jim

A welcome from me too.

A great show for a second attempt, and glad you have come to your senses and started using PTE.

I too was distracted by the border and the two pictures with the car in them and I would have held the last photo a few seconds longer before the final titles as this was a great image to end with.

Saying that, a great set of really well framed, sharp, crystal clear images, it is clear to see that you are not new to photography, I will look forward to your next one, thanks.

[LumenLux]

Ahh, very nice Jim.

If I may add my observations -

Although I have for years concerned myself with the vertical-horizontal integrations of images, I find it a non-issue in this particular presentation. The "solution" you have used has been one that I have felt has worked quite well for some of my intentions. In your Winter, I see your frame as a tray on a table where the photographer is setting out the individual prints for viewing. Using the gates as you have, the effect to me is no more disturbing than if you personally put a portrait format on the table after I had enjoyed several landscape formatted prints. So in your case, I just see each photo on it's own and am really not concerned at all.

As for the frame and color you use - I don't know if you have already modified your posted show - but I see no "pink" in your frame at my monitor setting. I do see the outer frame edge as having a warm tone, which appears to me to be in fine harmony with the warm contrasts within your photos.

A most interesting beauty in your shots is the highly localized occurrences of snow or hoary frost. I'm thinking it is largely the hoary frost type accumulation resulting from high humidity and temperature concentrations outside of the original storm?

Finally, congratulations on your results. I have oft times enjoyed a winter snow shoot of a newly covered landscape. I have less often been impressed with my own results when they are contained on my monitor.

[jfa]

We have been treated to a number of wonderful shows on the forum in the last few weeks and your show is right up there with them. If this is only your second attempt at a AV presentation I can't wait to see your fourth, fifth, sixth shows.

I'm glad you have found, (as we all have), that PTE produces a higher quality show.

The mixing of portrait and landscape format images is one of my little hobby horses, when it is not done well it can ruin a show, and as many here on the forum have shown it can be done and done well. I think you have mixed the formats well enough that I didn't find that a problem.

As for the frame and matte, I too would like to see a little more subdued colour on the matte, (maybe try dropping the colour out and make it black and white in Photoshop). The frame colour was OK with me but you may like to desaturate it a little.

Yes Jim I too would like to see the two pictures with the car in them removed. Good choice of music.

A great effort Jim and thanks for sharing it with us, looking forward to seeing more of your work.

[Ronniebootwest]

Jim has produced a very good slide show with some excellent images. It is clear that he knows a lot about photography. The use of black & white shots is very good indeed and some of the colour images are worthy of hanging on any wall.

If I am asked to comment, I would have this to say:-

1. The show would be better if it was a little shorter with only the very best images selected.

2. Change the frame for something that complements the images rather than compete with them.

Regards,

Ron West